Supply chain stoppage affects soybeans

Soybeans, the second-largest U.S. crop by total value, rose in trading on Tuesday because of supply chain disruptions in Argentina.

Port workers in Argentina are currently striking for higher wages and against unfair working conditions; as a result, normal business operations are not going on as usual and grain vessels, which move vast quantities of the commodity, have been halted. The break in the supply chain stoked investor fears on Tuesday, sending values to their highest levels in 30 months.

Countries around the world rely on shipments of soybeans for both food supplies and its derivatives, like cooking oils. The strike in Argentina effectively shorted a large component of the global supply chain, and helped to "bolster demand for U.S. exports," Dale Durchholz, a senior market analyst at AgriVisor, told Bloomberg. "It's a plus for U.S. exports as long as the strike continues to shift demand."

Farmers in the U.S., responsible for a majority of the global supply, will endeavor to ship more soybeans as it is unclear how long the strike in the South American country will continue. A Chamber of Commerce official in Argentina affirmed that as many as 30 ships have been blocked from leaving the country's main terminals.