Chinese state-owned agribusiness COFCO International is loading the first bulk commercial shipment of Argentine wheat bound for China, opening a new trade route between the two countries, the company said.
The cargo of about 65,000 tonnes is being loaded at COFCO’s Timbúes port terminal in Argentina and will sail to China for use by the milling industry, with Argentine and Chinese officials attending the vessel loading.
The Shandong Fu Yi will depart via the Paraná River, top up at Quequén port in Buenos Aires Province, and then sail to China.
Several government authorities attended the vessel loading at Timbúes, including Wei Wang, Chinese ambassador to Argentina; Maximiliano Pullaro, Governor of Santa Fe Province; Gustavo Puccini, Minister of Productive Development of the Santa Fe Province; and Antonio Fiorenza, Mayor of Timbúes.
COFCO International's Timbúes Complex on the Paraná River handles more than five million tonnes of grains and oilseeds per year.
(Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide. Writing by Mathieu Rosemain. Editing by Peter Graff)