Governor Ricardo Quintela pushes law to limit foreign ownership of rural land in Argentina's La Rioja

Governor Ricardo Quintela sent a bill to the La Rioja legislature that would cap foreign ownership of rural land at 3% of the provincial and departmental surface. The proposal, which regulates Article 81 of the provincial constitution, also bans acquisitions in border strips, water bodies, protected areas, archaeological sites and lands reserved for public infrastructure. It creates a single provincial land registry and imposes penalties of up to 50% of the property's fiscal value, plus mandatory divestiture and a 180‑day inventory of current foreign owners.

The measure comes amid a national debate on a liberalisation bill that would ease foreign access to Argentine land. While the national ceiling is 15%, La Rioja currently has about 5% of its rural land held by foreigners. The Argentine Senate gave the proposal a mixed vote of 37‑33 after amendments, reflecting split opinions among senators.

If enacted, the law would tighten controls on land sales, aiming to protect strategic resources, local agriculture and regional sovereignty.