Argentina truckers end protest at Quequen grain port

Argentine truckers ended a protest that had paralyzed ​the Quequen grain port after reaching ‌an agreement with farmers for a 16% freight rate increase, the port authority said on ​Friday, March 24.

Activity at the terminal began ​to normalize following the end of the ⁠costly protest, a port source told ​Reuters.

As part of the deal, truckers were ​successful in their demand to cap administrative fees charged by grain collectors and cargo providers at ​2%.

Trucker association ATCADE also confirmed the ​deal to Reuters.

The drivers, who had been seeking ‌higher ⁠rates to offset costs, had blocked access roads to the hub, which handles about 20% of Argentina’s soybean exports.

The Argentine ​Chamber of ​Private Commercial ⁠Ports said earlier this week that the protests, which also ​affected the port of Bahia ​Blanca, ⁠had stalled exports worth approximately $450 million.

Argentina is the world’s third-largest exporter of soybeans and ⁠the ​top global supplier of ​processed soy meal and oil.

Reporting by Maximilian Heath for Reuters

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