Only three departments accounted for 45% of Uruguay’s exports in 2025

Uruguay’s exports amounted to US$13.494 billion in 2025, with Canelones, Colonia and Montevideo together accounting for 45% of the total, according to the report Goods Exports by Department in 2025, prepared by the Competitive Intelligence Department at Uruguay XXI.

The study provides an overview of the international presence of the country’s 19 departments and details the main exported products, export destinations and composition of foreign sales in each territory.

Canelones led national exports with a 16% share, driven mainly by beef sales and a broad range of export-oriented industries. Colonia ranked second, with 15% of the total, supported by the weight of pulp and beverage concentrate produced in free trade zones. Montevideo accounted for 14% of exports, standing out especially for vehicles and other industrial goods.

The report also highlights the production specialization of different departments. Durazno and Río Negro ranked among the main exporting departments thanks to the pulp industry, while Soriano, Paysandú and Flores reinforced their agricultural profile, with soybeans as the leading product.

In eastern Uruguay, rice returned to a leading role. Treinta y Tres allocated 71% of its exports to the product, while Rocha reached 43% and Artigas 49%, reflecting the strategic weight of the rice chain in several departmental economies.

Beef remained Uruguay’s main exported product, accounting for 20% of the national total, with sales of US$2.669 billion in 2025. Canelones alone was responsible for 45% of those exports, followed by Tacuarembó and Durazno.

Dairy exports also remained strongly concentrated by territory. San José again led the sector, accounting for 60% of the country’s dairy exports, while Florida ranked second and was the clear leader in live cattle exports.

China remained the main destination for Uruguayan exports in 2025, with purchases worth US$3.483 billion, driven mainly by soybeans, pulp and beef. Durazno, Colonia, Canelones and Río Negro were among the departments most closely linked to the Chinese market.

Brazil remained Uruguay’s second-most important trading partner, with a strong presence of industrial goods such as vehicles, plastics, dairy products and auto parts. Montevideo led exports to the Brazilian market, with US$798 million.

In addition to China and Brazil, the European Union again ranked in 2025 among the main destinations for Uruguayan exports, with purchases worth US$1.681 billion. The bloc’s imports were concentrated mainly in pulp and beef, which represented the largest share of bilateral trade.

Canelones was the department with the highest exports to the European Union, at US$373 million, followed by Durazno with US$350 million and Colonia with US$264 million. Río Negro, Montevideo and Tacuarembó also stood out, reflecting the importance of agribusiness and forestry in Uruguay’s trade relationship with Europe.

The report also highlights the country’s productive transformation over recent decades. Although Uruguay continues to rely heavily on agribusiness goods, its export matrix increasingly includes higher value-added industries, ranging from pharmaceuticals and chemicals to vehicles and processed foods.

Source: Uruguai XXI

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