Argentina agro-industry could create 850,000 jobs if export taxes are removed

A report by the Fundación Agropecuaria para el Desarrollo de Argentina (FADA) suggests that eliminating export duties (retenciones) could generate over 850,000 additional jobs within a decade. This growth could potentially reduce Argentina's unemployment rate by half, addressing a pool of approximately 1.6 million unemployed individuals.

Currently, agro-industrial chains account for 23% of Argentina's private sector employment, supporting more than 4.3 million jobs across primary production, industry, logistics, and services. The beef sector is the largest employer with 519,000 positions, followed by fruits, vegetables, and legumes with 462,000, and soy with 446,000.

The projected employment surge is tied to an estimated 52% increase in grain production, rising from 135 million to 205.4 million tons. This expansion would be driven by increased investment in technology, fertilization, and machinery, as well as the cultivation of lands that are currently unprofitable due to existing tax burdens.