Uruguayan exports grew by 1% in the first half of 2026

Uruguayan exports of goods reached US$ 6,585 million in the first half of 2026, including transactions from free trade zones, representing a year-over-year increase of 1%. Although export orders totaled US$ 1,307 million in June—a 4% decline compared to the same month the previous year—the cumulative performance for the half-year remained positive, driven mainly by beef, pulp, and soybeans.

The decline recorded in June was primarily due to a drop in exports from free trade zones. Even so, beef remained the leading export product for the month, with sales of US$ 251 million and an 11% year-over-year increase. The growth in value was driven by improved international prices, which offset the reduction in export volumes amid lower cattle availability.

Cellulose ranked second with US$ 240 million, a 4% increase compared to June 2025, while soybeans ranked third with US$ 157 million. In the case of soybeans, exports fell by 53% due to lower production and a drop in sales to China, the product’s main destination. Rounding out the monthly ranking were live cattle, which posted their best performance of the year with exports totaling US$ 88 million, and dairy products, which totaled US$ 72 million.

Year-to-date, beef continued to lead Uruguayan exports at US$ 1,300 million, followed by pulp, which reached US$ 1,177 million. Dairy products held third place at US$ 416 million, while beverage concentrates and soybeans rounded out the top five export categories for the first half of the year.

China remained the top destination for Uruguayan exports in June, with US$ 294 million, equivalent to 22% of total exports, although sales to that market fell 42% year-over-year. Brazil ranked second with US$ 179 million, followed by the European Union, with US$ 175 million—a market where exports grew by 20%. The United States ranked fourth with US$ 168 million, driven by increased demand for beef, while Turkey rounded out the top five destinations with US$ 89 million, benefiting from increased exports of live cattle and cellulose.

The report’s special feature analyzes the economic ties between Uruguay and Spain, which it identifies as a strategic partner due to its commercial, investment, and institutional significance. Over the past decade, Uruguayan exports to that market have shown an upward trend, and although they declined in 2025 from the peak reached the previous year, Spain remained a key destination within the European Union and the leading foreign investor in Uruguay. The report also highlights the first instances of the use of tariff preferences provided for in the Mercosur–European Union agreement for the entry of Uruguayan products into the Spanish market.

Read the full report here