Soybean and corn taxes rise again: the national government made the measure official.

The national government has ordered the reinstatement of full tax rates, known as withholdings, for soybeans, corn, sorghum, and sunflowers starting July 1 , as part of a strategy aimed at consolidating fiscal balance and boosting foreign currency income. The measure was published this Friday in the Official Gazette through decree 439/2025 and has already generated reactions among rural areas.

The decision had been expected for weeks by stakeholders in the agricultural sector. Contrary to complaints from the main chambers of commerce, the Ministry of Economy maintained the tax benefit for wheat and barley until March of next year, arguing that these winter crops are still in a critical stage of development.

The decree signed by President Javier Milei , Chief of StaffGuillermo Francos , and Minister Luis Caputo establishes that the withholding tax on soybeans will increase from 26% to 33%, while that on corn and sorghum will increase from 9.5% to 12%. For sunflowers, the rate will increase from 5.5% to 7%. All of these products had benefited from the temporary reduction in export duties implemented in January.

Wheat and barley, on the other hand, will retain the reduced 9.5% tax rate until March 31, 2026, as will wheat flour, which will continue to be taxed at 5.5%. This benefit, however, is subject to compliance with a new requirement: exporters must receive at least 90% of the foreign currency corresponding to each transaction within 30 business days of the DJVE.

This new deadline doubles the current 15-business-day limit and seeks to ensure greater predictability in foreign currency inflows. Failure to comply with this commitment will result in the exporter losing the tax benefit and paying the standard rate.

The government stated that the extension of the benefit for winter crops is intended to " ensure efficient exports ," as their 2025/2026 production cycle is underway. In contrast, the soybean and corn harvests are well underway, so an extension is not justified.

In the weeks leading up to the decree's publication, the agricultural export market saw an acceleration in operations. According to official data, since January 27—when the reduction went into effect—more than 15 million tons of soybean by-products, 6.5 million tons of beans, 3.8 million tons of oil, and 17.9 million tons of corn were registered. These exports brought in approximately $5 billion in the last two weeks.

The volume of DJVEs recorded anticipated the end of the benefit, a clear sign of commercial rationality in the face of a rule change. Despite this, agricultural entities criticized the measure and once again called for predictability.

The Argentine Rural Confederations (CRA) warned of the "negative impact" of the return of the previous rates. Although they praised the government's macroeconomic progress, they called for an "urgent review of agricultural tax policy."

Similarly, Coninagro pointed out that the end of the reduction creates "inequality" and affects ongoing production processes. The agency called for "clear and lasting rules" to sustain investment.

According to the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange, 72.7% of the projected area for wheat, estimated at 6.7 million hectares, has already been planted. Barley, meanwhile, covers 50.8% of the planned 1.3 million hectares. The Rosario Stock Exchange, for its part, projects 7.1 million hectares of wheat, although it has reduced 100,000 hectares due to weather conditions.

In terms of foreign currency, combined wheat and barley exports generate around $4 billion annually. These two crops are key to the regional economies of southern Buenos Aires and to the trade balance.

The publication of the decree comes just before the Rural Exposition, one of the most emblematic events for the Argentine agricultural sector. It has not yet been confirmed whether President Milei will participate in the opening ceremony, although his presence at other fairs in the interior of the country has reinforced the sector's expectations.

In this context, the Casa Rosada seeks to maintain a balance between meeting fiscal targets and containing tensions with the agricultural sector. The update to the withholding tax system, the Executive maintains, is part of the commitment to a primary surplus, monetary stability, and reserve accumulation.