The landscape of Argentine farmland and the pace of port terminals in our region could change dramatically in the coming years. Jorge Bassi, Bunge’s Director of Marketing and New Business, revealed that the company is making a strong bet on Camelina and Rapeseed (Colza), two crops that emerge as the key to transforming national agriculture and enhancing the installed capacity of the oilseed industry in San Lorenzo, Puerto General San Martín, and Timbúes.

The strategy responds to a global shift toward sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and second-generation biodiesel. These markets demand raw materials that do not compete with food security and that demonstrate a real reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. This is where Camelina and Rapeseed become undisputed protagonists due to their low carbon footprint.

The Potential of Revenue-Generating Cover Crops

What makes this proposal attractive to producers and the local industry is its production cycle. Camelina, for example, is a very short-cycle winter crop that ensures the field is not left bare during the cold months. It functions as a “green bridge” that protects the soil, but with the competitive advantage of being harvestable and marketable, turning a maintenance cost into a source of income.

For the oilseed crushers in the Industrial Corridor, this trend represents a golden opportunity to diversify milling operations. The processing plants in our area can adapt their lines to these new vegetable oils, integrating into the value chain of high-end biofuels that the world demands today.

San Lorenzo: From Grain Port to Bioenergy Hub

The strategic location of San Lorenzo and its surroundings is fundamental to this scheme. As the most efficient processing hub on the planet, the arrival of these new oils allows local companies to position themselves as key suppliers of renewable energy.

Bunge has made it clear that the goal is to create an ecosystem where producers receive incentives for growing sustainable grains, ensuring that every ton of oil processed in the Up River has a guaranteed destination in the tanks of the world’s most modern aircraft. If the trend consolidates, the landscape of the Agroexport Corridor will become the operational base of a new agricultural order based on sustainability and intelligent rotation of winter crops.