Divergent Trajectories and Heterogeneous Production Strategies in Agricultural Firms in Argentina, 2012-2022

Abstract

Much of the literature addressing recent dynamics in the agricultural sector of the southern Latin American cone proposes the existence of an extensively adopted productive model known as agribusiness. This model is characterized by new relationships with technology, land, labor, the financial sector, and the rest of the agricultural chain. This article delves into the scope of agribusiness as the defining model for large grain-producing firms in Argentina´s Pampas region. These firms explain the export dynamics and competitiveness of the agricultural sector and, according to specialized literature, they represent the core of the agribusiness model. Our study analyzes the constitutive practices of fourteen firms engaged in grain production across no less than 50,000 hectares in the Argentine Pampas during the period from 2012 to 2022. Notably, our findings reveal that this segment of large agricultural companies deploys practices that diverge from the general trends associated with the agribusiness model. The article highlights the heterogeneity of trajectories and productive strategies within this group of firms, proposing a typology that reflects the diverse business models present among major players in Pampas agriculture.