Crude oil became Argentina’s leading export during the first half of 2026, overtaking traditional agricultural products to top the country’s export rankings.
According to a report based on data from the national statistics agency INDEC, crude oil generated US$4.7 billion in export revenue between January and June.
The figure represents a 47.7% year-over-year increase from the US$3.2 billion recorded during the same period in 2025. The additional US$1.5 billion in export revenue pushed crude oil ahead of corn and soybean meal and pellets, which had topped the rankings a year earlier, in that order.
According to research center Instituto Argentina Grande (IAG), crude oil accounted for 9.5% of Argentina’s total exports in the first half of the year. An IAG report identified the United States, Chile, Thailand, Australia and Uruguay as the main destinations for Argentine crude.
The shift in Argentina’s export rankings marks a milestone for the economy. While agriculture remains central to the country’s export sector, crude oil has now become the single largest export product, reflecting the expansion of the Vaca Muerta oil and gas field in Patagonia and growing investment in infrastructure to increase shale oil exports.
