Uruguay and the Netherlands share a long-standing relationship in agri-food trade and cooperation, grounded in open economies, strong agricultural sectors, and a growing commitment to sustainability and innovation. As Uruguay consolidates its position as a reliable agro-exporting country and advances its sustainability agenda, opportunities for deeper collaboration with Dutch partners continue to expand.
Uruguay’s exports closed 2025 with a new historical record, reaching USD 13.493 million, representing a year-on-year growth of 5%, according to the Annual Foreign Trade Report by Uruguay XXI. The export basket was led by beef, pulp, soybeans, dairy products, and rice, further consolidating the country’s agro-export profile.
The European Union ranked as the third-largest export destination, accounting for 14% of total exports. Within this market, exports of beef showed strong growth, despite a decline in pulp shipments, which remain the main product exported to the EU. Traditionally, the Netherlands imports beef, soybeans, rice, and forestry products from Uruguay, reaffirming its role as a key trading partner.
Beeld: © Ministerio de Ganadería, Agricultura y Pesca de Uruguay
The Netherlands is accredited to Uruguay through its Embassy in Argentina and is also represented by an Honorary Consulate in Montevideo. In September 2025, the Agricultural Office joined the rest of the Embassy in the first “Pop-up Embassy” experience, with Montevideo as the inaugural destination of this itinerant embassy. The delegation, led by the Ambassador, included representatives from consular affairs, trade promotion, customs (from Lima, Peru), multilateral cooperation, human rights, and the agricultural office.
During the mission, an intensive agenda of simultaneous meetings was held with government authorities, NGOs, academic and scientific institutions, companies, and citizens, aimed at exploring opportunities, deepening bilateral cooperation, and providing consular and diplomatic services.
The Agricultural Office took advantage of this opportunity to strengthen dialogue with key stakeholders in the agricultural sector and in environmental-related fields, gain insight into national priorities, and explore potential areas for future cooperation. Meetings were held with authorities from the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP), the National Institute for Agricultural Research (INIA), and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), as well as with various academic and scientific institutions. The mission also included a visit to Agrifirm, a Dutch company operating in Uruguay and specialized in the production of animal feed additives.
Beeld: © LAN Cono Sur
The Agricultural Office also participated in a networking event organized by the Embassy, which helped expand contacts and strengthen ties with strategic partners, particularly in sectors of high relevance for the Netherlands such as energy, logistics and transport, and agribusiness. This activity contributed to increasing the visibility of the Netherlands and further consolidating its positioning and reputation in Uruguay.
From the perspective of the Agricultural Office, Uruguay shows strong interest in deepening cooperation with the Netherlands, particularly in technological innovation, sustainable agricultural production, and the development of food systems in harmony with nature. In this context, Wageningen University & Research is a highly recognized partner in Uruguay, with established cooperation links already in place.
Beeld: © LAN Cono Sur
In October 2025, an inter-institutional public-private Uruguayan delegation conducted a technical mission to the Netherlands, focused on the dairy sector, with the objective of learning from successful experiences in agricultural innovation, public-private collaboration, and the development of sustainable production systems.
Uruguay benefits from a solid and internationally recognized productive base, encompassing the production of beef, rice, soybeans, dairy, and forestry products. This is complemented by structural advantages such as abundant water resources, productive land, an energy matrix largely based on renewable sources, and a productive culture that positions agriculture as a central pillar of economic development. In this regard, there are interesting matches with the Netherlands, despite having a land area approximately four times smaller than Uruguay, while being one of the smallest countries in the Americas.
Sustainability represents another key axis linking both countries. In 2025, Uruguay approved its National Bio-inputs Plan, an initiative aimed at promoting sustainable development in the agricultural sector through the use of biological products. The plan seeks to strengthen a production model with environmental value added, fostering a sustainable bioeconomy, technological innovation, and the diversification of economic activities, thereby enhancing Uruguay’s positioning in international markets.
More information
Would you like to know more about the work done by the LVVN Office Cono Sur? You can visit the country page of Argentina at the website Agroberichtenbuitenland.nl of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature. You can also send an email to the LAN team in Buenos Aires: bue-lvvn@minbuza.nl.