Catamarca reached US$392 million in exports in first half of 2026

Catamarca accumulated exports of US$392 million during the first half of 2026, according to INDEC data. The amount implies a year-over-year increase of 119.6% and practically doubles the value recorded in the same period of 2025.

The expansion was led by chemical products and their derivatives, mainly associated with lithium, along with the segment of stones, precious metals and their manufactures. This latter segment advanced 41.3% compared to the first half of last year, with gold and silver among the main products linked to provincial mining performance.

With these results, Catamarca accounted for 12.1% of exports from Northwestern Argentina and ranked third in the region, behind Jujuy and Salta, which concentrated 30% and 29.6%, respectively. Catamarca's growth also far exceeded the regional average, which was 68.2% year-over-year.

China was the main destination for the province's external sales, with purchases of US$263 million, equivalent to nearly 67% of the total. The USMCA bloc—comprised of the United States, Mexico and Canada—also formed part of the relevant markets for Catamarca products.

Overall, the Northwestern Argentina provinces exported US$3.241 billion in the first six months of the year, a figure that represented 6.5% of Argentine external sales. Mining and chemical products associated with lithium explained much of the regional growth, while in Catamarca cereals had a minor incidence, with 1.5% of the export basket.