Description and analysis of the soybean supply chain management in Uruguay

Abstract

Soybean production has grown significantly over the past 20 years, becoming one of Uruguay's leading export products. This work focuses on describing and analyzing the agricultural phase inserted in the soybean value chain, during the 2016/2017 cropping season, setting as objectives to quantify the gross value added (GVA) generated at this phase and along the entire chain, and to elaborate the map of gross value of production (GVP). The main product was identified, and from this, costs (services or intermediate supplies used) and the GVP generated by that product were described, quantified and analyzed. The results were analyzed in an input-output matrix, obtaining a GVA of U$S 1,519 million, which represents 39% of the total GVP of the chain. The agricultural phase makes the largest contribution to the total GVA (51%). The GVA/GVP ratio generated at this stage indicates that along the production process, it adds value by 55%, generating 37% post-tax profit, 12% income and employment for 1.9 workers/1000 ha. Although the agricultural phase is a very developed and important stage in the chain, it is not the one that exerts power and control over others.