The nutritional composition of Argentine soybean meal could become a strategic advantage for conquering higher-value markets.
At the Acsoja Seminar held in Rosario, that was one of the main conclusions presented by Ángela Orlando from ASAGA and Cecilia Accoroni from INTA. They shared results from a joint study that created the first national map of Argentine soybean quality, combining data on protein, oil, and amino acid profiles from samples collected directly from farms across the country.
The study involved 115 INTA extension agencies from nine regional centers, which gathered representative samples from eight major production regions.
Argentine Soybean Has a Protein “Plus”
The results show that the national average protein content over the four years studied was 36.2%, with the highest levels found in the north, southwest Córdoba, and the NOA region. They also identified significant opportunities for technological improvement, particularly in fertilization, which is used by only 43% of the surveyed producers.
“Argentina produces some of the best soybean meal in the world. Now we have our own data that lets us scientifically prove the real quality of our raw material, instead of depending on information from other countries,” said Orlando.
The most relevant finding came from analyzing the profile of the five key amino acids used internationally to evaluate soybean meal’s nutritional quality. The traditional paradigm assumes a dilution effect with higher protein content — meaning that as protein increases, these amino acids decrease.
However, Accoroni explained that “the sum of these five key amino acids reached an average of 15.06, while international literature for soybean meal reports 14.36. This means Argentine soybeans already have higher quality than what was historically assumed.”
Orlando noted that quality is affected by genetic factors, since “breeding has historically focused on yield rather than protein because there was no payment for it.” Environmental factors like temperature, water availability, sunlight, fertilization, planting date, and maturity groups also play a role.
The survey showed that the expected dilution effect doesn’t actually occur with these key amino acids. Their levels remain stable thanks to an internal compensation mechanism.
“Even when protein content decreases, the key amino acids hold steady. There’s a compensation between them that preserves the grain’s nutritional value, and that’s a real strength for our industry and markets,” Accoroni clarified.
Biological Quality of Soybean
Among these amino acids, lysine stands out — it’s the first limiting amino acid for animal nutrition and a key indicator of protein’s biological quality.
The study also found that methionine increased by 25% in the last campaign, and both methionine and cysteine showed significant differences between fertilized and non-fertilized lots, highlighting the importance of nutritional management.
Regarding lysine, the researchers suggested moving toward indicators that consider amino acid bioavailability, not just protein percentage, as a commercial parameter.
Orlando highlighted another national advantage: “Argentine soybean crushing naturally achieves an excellent quality profile without any enrichment processes. That characteristic sets us apart internationally and strengthens our entire agro-industrial chain.”
The Research Opens a New Paradigm
These findings align with a recent meta-analysis by the Polytechnic University of Madrid, which compared soybean meal quality from Argentina, Brazil, the United States, and India — placing Argentine production ahead in the amino acids most critical for animal nutrition.
For the researchers, having scientific data generated under real production conditions is a valuable tool for strengthening Argentine soybean’s position in international markets, differentiating it by quality rather than just volume, and building real value across the entire soybean chain.
“The quality of our soybeans represents a concrete opportunity to position the country in higher-value segments. We now have scientific evidence supporting that competitive advantage, and it opens a new agenda for production, industry, and international trade,” Accoroni concluded.