Argentina's grain ports returned to normal operations on Wednesday after a strike by maritime pilots paused the country's foreign trade for roughly 24 hours, Guillermo Wade, the head of a ports industry chamber said.

The stoppage was lifted on Tuesday after the government suspended a deregulation decree and negotiated a reduction in sector tariffs.

• Maritime pilots responsible for docking and departing vessels at major commercial ports staged the strike to protest the deregulation decree.

• At least 45 vessels were affected during the work stoppage.

• Argentina is the world's leading exporter of soybean oil and meal, the third-largest exporter of corn and a key global wheat supplier.

(Reuters)