Argentine oilseed workers strike extended as delays hit dozens of ships

Buenos Aires | Reuters—A pair of Argentine oilseed industry unions announced a one-day extension to an ongoing strike that has halted operations at the country’s major agricultural hubs.

The strike was launched early on Tuesday by the SOEA and the Federation of Oilseed Industry Workers, which are demanding companies approve worker wage hikes above the country’s inflation rate.

The unions extended the strike “in view of the indifference of the companies,” they said in a press release.

The number of ships facing grains loading delays due to the strike had risen to 36, the CAPYM ports chamber told Reuters earlier on Thursday.

Argentina is a major exporter of processed soybeans, with proceeds from sales providing much-needed hard currency for central bank coffers.

While the country’s inflation rate has slowed since President Javier Milei took office in December, the accumulated rate of rising consumer prices during the first half of this year nevertheless stood at 79 per cent, according to official data.

—Reporting for Reuters by Maximilian Heath