Vaca Muerta closes in on soy's export leadership

The development of Vaca Muerta could reshape the historic ranking of Argentina's leading export sectors before 2026 comes to a close. The oil and petrochemical complex advanced strongly and came close to overtaking the soy sector as the country's top source of foreign currency.

During the first half of the year, exports linked to oil and petrochemical activity totaled u$s8,116 million. That result narrowed the gap with the soy complex, which still holds the lead, to less than u$s1,000 million.

The trend in energy exports supports the possibility that this so-called overtaking could materialize in the coming months. The shift would mark a significant change in the composition of Argentina's exports.

The performance is tied to the growth in production and export activity at Vaca Muerta, a formation located in Neuquén province. The acceleration of the energy sector thus emerges as one of the main drivers of transformation in the country's foreign-currency generation landscape.

If the pace recorded during the first half of the year holds, oil could displace soy from the top export spot before the end of 2026.

With information from Ámbito — Energía.