(MENAFN- The Rio Times) Uruguay's exports rose 5% in September to US$1.242 billion, a solid month that says a lot about how this small economy plugs into big global trends.

The headline is simple: beef and soy did the heavy lifting, pulp cooled, and China remained the anchor buyer. For the year to date, sales including free-trade zones are up 5% to US$10.245 billion.

Beef led the pack with US$230 million in shipments, up 42% from a year earlier-evidence of firm buying across Asia and North America and steady output at home.

Soybeans followed at US$200 million, a 22% rise as Asian processors stepped up purchases during a favorable delivery window. Pulp (cellulose) placed third at US$195 million, down 26% after last year's particularly strong base and weaker benchmark prices.

Dairy reached US$92 million, up 28%, while rice edged to US$60 million, up 2%. Beverage concentrates slipped to US$59 million.



China remained the top destination with US$380 million-31% of all exports and 17% above last year. Within that, soy stood out at US$173 million, up 53% in value alongside a 59% jump in volume.

Brazil ranked second at US$160 million, down 10%; Uruguay 's main sales there were dairy (US$23 million, up 27%), vehicles (US$22 million, down 20%), plastics (US$19 million), and malt (US$17 million).

The story behind the story is about concentration and cycles. Uruguay's strength is high-quality agrifood, and when global demand is steady-as it is for protein and feed-the country performs.

But reliance on a few commodities and a handful of buyers cuts both ways. Pulp's swing shows how quickly earnings can shift with prices; China 's 31% share underscores both opportunity and exposure; Brazil's dip is a reminder that even close markets fluctuate.

Why readers outside Uruguay should care: these flows are a real-time signal of what global consumers are eating, what factories are processing, and where supply chains are heading.

September's picture-beef and soy up, pulp softer-tracks broader commodity rhythms that shape food prices, trade routes, and investment far beyond the River Plate.

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