That hurts exporters who often have to bring most of their overseas sales back into the country at the official rate, getting fewer pesos for each dollar.
While the government has rolled out exchange rate sweeteners for farmers, giving them a better rate, many producers are waiting to see what Milei does when he takes office.
Idigoras said the lack of beans for the huge crushing plants that turn soybeans into oil and meal along the Parana River meant the facilities were operating at greatly reduced capacity.
"Today we are at 73% average idle capacity in the crushing plants and 75% idle capacity in the grain ports," he said.
He added that the crushing plants were bringing forward stoppages for technical maintenance due to the "impossibility" of being able to keep operating.
Persons:
Marcos Brindicci, Javier Milei, CIARA, Gustavo Idigoras, Idigoras, Maximilian Heath, Adam Jourdan, Jonathan Oatis
Organizations:
REUTERS, Reuters, Cargill, Bunge, Thomson
Locations:
Rafaela, Argentina, BUENOS AIRES, Parana