Overview
- An Ieral/Fundación Mediterránea survey using Dec 2025–Jan 2026 prices compares Argentina with Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and the United States to gauge grain-production cost competitiveness.
- Prices improved in several inputs: fertilizers are roughly 1.6% to 12.9% below the regional average, selected herbicides are up to 3.7% cheaper, the surveyed fungicide is 13% lower, and combine harvesters are 8.2% cheaper.
- Key structural costs remain elevated: diesel (gasoil grade 2) is about 21.4% above the surveyed average at roughly US$1.30 per liter, and freight for a 400 km haul runs higher than in Brazil and Paraguay.
- Tractors cost about 28.5% more than the average, with a 200 HP model priced around US$243,439 in Argentina versus about US$172,989 in Brazil and US$178,000 in Paraguay.
- In the cross-country breakdown, Brazil shows lower prices than Argentina in 54% of items and Paraguay in 62%, and FADA estimates taxes absorb 56.3% of agricultural rent, reinforcing the income-side disadvantage.