Agrarian trajectories in Argentina and Brazil: multilatin seed firms and the South American soybean chain

Abstract

Since the turn of the century Argentinian seed firms have been internationalising their operations, focusing on neighbouring countries, specially Brazil. A "flex crop" such as soybean has constituted a central focus for their investment. This article analyses investment opportunities and different intellectual property rights as key drivers of internationalization, and examines the ability of firms to develop networks that are both inward and outward in their orientation, as well as the tensions involved. The analysis points to the emergence of new flows of capital from BRICS countries that aim to strengthen their position within key components of agri-food chains, and the formation of transnational elites grounded in global circuits of accumulation.