Paraguay's soybean processing industry recorded significant growth in the first half of 2026, with accumulated crushing reaching 1,852,989 tons, a 12% increase compared to the same period the previous year. The data was released by the Paraguayan Chamber of Oilseed and Cereal Processors (Cappro).
To find a higher volume in a first half-year, one must go back to 2018, the year that holds the historical processing record, when crushing surpassed 1.9 million tons. In June 2026 alone, 367,032 tons of soybeans were processed, an increase of approximately 59,000 tons compared to June 2025, maintaining the sector's positive trend.
The strong performance was reflected in exports. Foreign sales of industrial derivatives – such as oil, meal, and soybean hulls – generated revenue of $709.63 million between January and June, a value 21% higher than the amount accumulated in the first half of 2025. Soybean oil was one of the main drivers: the exported volume grew 4%, while the generated value increased 22%, driven by better international prices.
When adding exports of soybeans in grain and their derivatives, the value chain generated foreign exchange on the order of $2,983.44 million in the period, representing 46% of all Paraguay's exports in the first half of the year, an increase of eight percentage points compared to 2025.
The growth of the agro-industry has a cascading effect on other sectors. The dynamism benefits not only direct suppliers but also other industries that use soybean oil, meal, or hulls as inputs, such as livestock, the food industry, and biofuel production.
The utilization of installed processing capacity reached 78% at the end of the half-year, an improvement of three percentage points compared to May, but remaining stable in the annual comparison. The sector advocates for the promotion of an industrial policy to strengthen the competitiveness of local processing and further utilize idle capacity, with expectations of maintaining a good pace of value addition in the second half of the year.
The processing of other oilseeds also showed growth, with a crushing of 31,678 tons in June, a 4% increase compared to the same month the previous year.