Domestic reforms and regional integration: can Argentina and Uruguay increase non-MERCOSUR rice exports

Argentina and Uruguay can market their rice outside MERCOSUR (Mercado Comun del Sur) countries, including the US, provided they reduce production, milling and transportation costs to US levels via tax reduction, technological improvements and increasing mill utilization levels. Their competitiveness will likewise be bolstered if they consistently produce high-quality rice by developing irrigation and transportation infrastructures. Compliance with financing and US rice policy are the other factors influencing Argentina and Uruguay's success in the US rice market.