Sustainability Through Diversification and Competitiveness: An Analysis of Global Maize Exports

Marco Agustín Arbulú Ballesteros; Jose Carlos Montes Ninaquispe; Christian David Corrales Otazú; Sarita Jessica Apaza Miranda; Sandra Lizzette León Luyo; Consuelo Violeta Coronel Estela; Heyner Yuliano Marquez Yauri; Patricia Ismary Barinotto Roncal; Carlos José Sandoval Reyes; Juana Graciela Palma Vallejo

doi:10.3390/su18031227

Sustainability Through Diversification and Competitiveness: An Analysis of Global Maize Exports

Marco Agustín Arbulú Ballesteros
, Jose Carlos Montes Ninaquispe
, Christian David Corrales Otazú
, Sarita Jessica Apaza Miranda
, Sandra Lizzette León Luyo
, Consuelo Violeta Coronel Estela
, Heyner Yuliano Marquez Yauri
, Patricia Ismary Barinotto Roncal
, Carlos José Sandoval Reyes
, Juana Graciela Palma Vallejo

Research output: Contribution to journal › Original Article › peer-review

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the diversification and competitiveness of corn exports from the United States, Brazil, Argentina, and Ukraine during 2020–2024 through a quantitative, descriptive design using secondary data from Trade Map. Methodologically, it applied the Herfindahl–Hirschman Index (HHI) to measure destination-market concentration and the normalized revealed comparative advantage (NRCA) to assess export specialization and relative competitiveness. The results indicated heterogeneous patterns: the United States experienced rising concentration toward Mexico—heightening vulnerability despite persistent advantages in Japan and Colombia; Brazil maintained low concentration and robust advantages across the Middle East and Asia; Argentina combined favorable diversification with stable advantages in Asia, Africa, and South America, albeit with a mild uptick in concentration by 2024; and Ukraine showed moderate diversification but volatile competitiveness, with structural disadvantages in Türkiye exacerbated by wartime logistics. This study concluded that export sustainability depended jointly on diversification and competitive specialization, with Brazil and Argentina exhibiting the strongest balance.

Original language	American English
Article number	1227
Journal	Sustainability (Switzerland)
Volume	18
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/su18031227
State	Indexed - Feb 2026
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2026 by the authors.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

Herfindahl–Hirschman index
international competitiveness
maize exports
normalized revealed comparative advantage
trade diversification

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10.3390/su18031227

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Arbulú Ballesteros, M. A., Ninaquispe, J. C. M., Corrales Otazú, C. D., Apaza Miranda, S. J., León Luyo, S. L., Coronel Estela, C. V., Marquez Yauri, H. Y., Roncal, P. I. B., Reyes, C. J. S., & Palma Vallejo, J. G. (2026). Sustainability Through Diversification and Competitiveness: An Analysis of Global Maize Exports. Sustainability (Switzerland), 18(3), Article 1227. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18031227

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title = "Sustainability Through Diversification and Competitiveness: An Analysis of Global Maize Exports",

abstract = "This study aimed to analyze the diversification and competitiveness of corn exports from the United States, Brazil, Argentina, and Ukraine during 2020–2024 through a quantitative, descriptive design using secondary data from Trade Map. Methodologically, it applied the Herfindahl–Hirschman Index (HHI) to measure destination-market concentration and the normalized revealed comparative advantage (NRCA) to assess export specialization and relative competitiveness. The results indicated heterogeneous patterns: the United States experienced rising concentration toward Mexico—heightening vulnerability despite persistent advantages in Japan and Colombia; Brazil maintained low concentration and robust advantages across the Middle East and Asia; Argentina combined favorable diversification with stable advantages in Asia, Africa, and South America, albeit with a mild uptick in concentration by 2024; and Ukraine showed moderate diversification but volatile competitiveness, with structural disadvantages in T{\"u}rkiye exacerbated by wartime logistics. This study concluded that export sustainability depended jointly on diversification and competitive specialization, with Brazil and Argentina exhibiting the strongest balance.",

keywords = "Herfindahl–Hirschman index, international competitiveness, maize exports, normalized revealed comparative advantage, trade diversification",

author = "\{Arbul{\'u} Ballesteros\}, \{Marco Agust{\'i}n\} and Ninaquispe, \{Jose Carlos Montes\} and \{Corrales Otaz{\'u}\}, \{Christian David\} and \{Apaza Miranda\}, \{Sarita Jessica\} and \{Le{\'o}n Luyo\}, \{Sandra Lizzette\} and \{Coronel Estela\}, \{Consuelo Violeta\} and \{Marquez Yauri\}, \{Heyner Yuliano\} and Roncal, \{Patricia Ismary Barinotto\} and Reyes, \{Carlos Jos{\'e} Sandoval\} and \{Palma Vallejo\}, \{Juana Graciela\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2026 by the authors.",

year = "2026",

month = feb,

doi = "10.3390/su18031227",

language = "American English",

volume = "18",

journal = "Sustainability (Switzerland)",

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Arbulú Ballesteros, MA, Ninaquispe, JCM, Corrales Otazú, CD, Apaza Miranda, SJ, León Luyo, SL, Coronel Estela, CV, Marquez Yauri, HY, Roncal, PIB, Reyes, CJS & Palma Vallejo, JG 2026, 'Sustainability Through Diversification and Competitiveness: An Analysis of Global Maize Exports', Sustainability (Switzerland), vol. 18, no. 3, 1227. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18031227

TY - JOUR

T1 - Sustainability Through Diversification and Competitiveness

T2 - An Analysis of Global Maize Exports

AU - Arbulú Ballesteros, Marco Agustín

AU - Ninaquispe, Jose Carlos Montes

AU - Corrales Otazú, Christian David

AU - Apaza Miranda, Sarita Jessica

AU - León Luyo, Sandra Lizzette

AU - Coronel Estela, Consuelo Violeta

AU - Marquez Yauri, Heyner Yuliano

AU - Roncal, Patricia Ismary Barinotto

AU - Reyes, Carlos José Sandoval

AU - Palma Vallejo, Juana Graciela

PY - 2026/2

Y1 - 2026/2

N2 - This study aimed to analyze the diversification and competitiveness of corn exports from the United States, Brazil, Argentina, and Ukraine during 2020–2024 through a quantitative, descriptive design using secondary data from Trade Map. Methodologically, it applied the Herfindahl–Hirschman Index (HHI) to measure destination-market concentration and the normalized revealed comparative advantage (NRCA) to assess export specialization and relative competitiveness. The results indicated heterogeneous patterns: the United States experienced rising concentration toward Mexico—heightening vulnerability despite persistent advantages in Japan and Colombia; Brazil maintained low concentration and robust advantages across the Middle East and Asia; Argentina combined favorable diversification with stable advantages in Asia, Africa, and South America, albeit with a mild uptick in concentration by 2024; and Ukraine showed moderate diversification but volatile competitiveness, with structural disadvantages in Türkiye exacerbated by wartime logistics. This study concluded that export sustainability depended jointly on diversification and competitive specialization, with Brazil and Argentina exhibiting the strongest balance.

AB - This study aimed to analyze the diversification and competitiveness of corn exports from the United States, Brazil, Argentina, and Ukraine during 2020–2024 through a quantitative, descriptive design using secondary data from Trade Map. Methodologically, it applied the Herfindahl–Hirschman Index (HHI) to measure destination-market concentration and the normalized revealed comparative advantage (NRCA) to assess export specialization and relative competitiveness. The results indicated heterogeneous patterns: the United States experienced rising concentration toward Mexico—heightening vulnerability despite persistent advantages in Japan and Colombia; Brazil maintained low concentration and robust advantages across the Middle East and Asia; Argentina combined favorable diversification with stable advantages in Asia, Africa, and South America, albeit with a mild uptick in concentration by 2024; and Ukraine showed moderate diversification but volatile competitiveness, with structural disadvantages in Türkiye exacerbated by wartime logistics. This study concluded that export sustainability depended jointly on diversification and competitive specialization, with Brazil and Argentina exhibiting the strongest balance.

KW - Herfindahl–Hirschman index

KW - international competitiveness

KW - maize exports

KW - normalized revealed comparative advantage

KW - trade diversification

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105030037199

U2 - 10.3390/su18031227

DO - 10.3390/su18031227

M3 - Original Article

AN - SCOPUS:105030037199

SN - 2071-1050

VL - 18

JO - Sustainability (Switzerland)

JF - Sustainability (Switzerland)

IS - 3

M1 - 1227

ER -

Sustainability Through Diversification and Competitiveness: An Analysis of Global Maize Exports

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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