Manya Rathore
Research expert covering India
Agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean – statistics & facts
Latin America, with its extensive land area and many different climates, is home to some of the most diverse agricultural products. From the blue agave that grows in western Mexico, to the coffee cultivated in Colombia, to Argentina’s popular yerba mate, Latin American agricultural products are enjoyed all over the world. Agriculture plays an important role in Latin American and Caribbean economy. In 2023, agriculture accounted for almost seven percent of the regional gross domestic product (GDP), but this number varies from country to country. In Haiti, for instance, the agricultural sector accounted for around 18 percent of the GDP. However, the agricultural sector is both a driver and a victim of climate change, and its impacts are being felt across the entire region.
Production
Latin America is a key contributor to worldwide agricultural production. In 2023, Brazil was the leading agricultural producer in the region, followed by Mexico and Argentina. The three countries are among the top ten producers of maize or corn. Mexico, Colombia, and Peru are the top three producers of avocado, and South America is the region that produces the most coffee.Trade
Latin America and the Caribbean’s agricultural products can be found around the globe, and exports are fundamental to the development of this sector. In 2024, the value of agricultural exports from the region reached over 149 billion U.S. dollars and it is expected to continue growing over the next few years. Some staple export products include corn or maize, soybeans, sugar, beef or bovine meat, and poultry meat. Brazil is the largest exporter of maize and soybean, followed in both by Argentina. It also led in beef exports.Climate change
The agricultural sector has grown in recent years, but it is also one of the biggest players in climate change. Activities like crop production, deforestation, livestock, and even fisheries often have an important impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In 2023, for instance, more than 70 percent of the total GHG emissions in South America were caused by agricultural activities. The consequences are seen not only in the entire region—Brazil for example reported an alarming number of wildfire outbreaks linked to deforestation—but also in the agricultural sector specifically. The coffee industry, for example, saw some of these consequences, as heavy rainfall in the last few years impacted coffee production in Colombia. In February 2024, wildfires in Chile destroyed agricultural areas, which are sure to affect production of agricultural commodities such as wheat and beans, both of which have been on a downward trend since 2010. These situations are likely to continue unless there is a quicker and more effective reduction in GHG emissions.
