Techno-economic Evolution of Soybean Production in Brazil and Argentina

Brazil and Argentina, respectively the second and third largest producers of soybean in the world, consider this oilseed one of the most important products in their economy, whose significance is easily perceived in their commercial balance because, in addition to income generation, this product is also responsible for the creation of several jobs. Based on such a perspective, our research aim is to present the historical evolution of production costs and technological parameters (productivity) of soybean considering the most productive territories in Brazil and Argentina over 20 years. Our findings indicate that technology was the main relevant factor in the Brazilian case and, in Argentina, production cost. We also emphasize the great impact of exchange rates and market factors on the cases analyzed.