2025 May Argentina Trade Data Summary: Surplus Narrows

Argentina 2025 May Trade Data Key Takeaways

• Market Trend: Argentina trade data shows exports down 7.3% while imports surge 29.5%, narrowing surplus to $610M in May 2025.
• Key Driver: Argentina import export data reveals Brazil and China dominate flows, with machinery (HS 84) driving 36% of imports.
• Strategic Risk: Heavy reliance on commodity exports and imported tech exposes economy to price swings and supply chain bottlenecks.

Analysis covers 2025 May based on sanitized customs records from the yTrade database.

Argentina 2025 May Trade Data Trend Overview

• Agricultural and Energy Exporter: Argentina's May 2025 global trade data reflects its dual role as a major agricultural commodity supplier and emerging energy producer, with trade flows heavily influenced by harvest cycles and international price movements.
• Contracted Exports, Surging Imports: The Argentina import export data for May shows a 7.3% year-on-year contraction in export value to $7.1B, while import value surged 29.5% to $6.5B, indicating a sharp reversal in trade dynamics from the previous year.
• Narrowing Surplus: The divergent flows resulted in a significantly narrowed trade surplus of approximately $610 million, down substantially from the multi-billion-dollar surpluses recorded during the 2024 commodity boom.
• Policy-Driven Import Rebound: The import surge is likely driven by the government's economic normalization efforts, including the easing of capital controls and the April 2025 $20 billion IMF agreement, which facilitated access to foreign currency for purchasing capital goods and intermediate inputs [Argentina - Market Challenges].

Table: Import Key Metrics (Source: yTrade)

Table: Export Key Metrics (Source: yTrade)

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Argentina 2025 May Top Trading Products

Argentina Global Trade Core Summary

Argentina's exports are heavily focused on agriculture and raw materials, with cereals (HS 10) and animal/vegetable fats (HS 15) making up 20% of total exports. Vehicles (HS 87) and mineral fuels (HS 27) also play a notable role. Imports, however, are dominated by machinery (HS 84) and vehicles (HS 87), accounting for over 36% of total imports, alongside electrical equipment (HS 85) and pharmaceuticals (HS 30). The trade structure shows a clear split: Argentina exports food and resources while importing industrial goods and technology.

Key takeaways:

• Agriculture and raw materials drive exports.
• Industrial machinery and vehicles dominate imports.
• Limited high-value manufacturing in exports.
• Dependence on imported machinery and tech.
• Potential vulnerability to commodity price swings.

Argentina Export-Import Structural Gap

Argentina’s trade gap highlights its role as a resource supplier and industrial goods buyer. Exports are mostly low-processed goods like cereals, oils, and meat, while imports are machinery, vehicles, and electronics. The overlap in vehicles (HS 87) suggests some local assembly but heavy reliance on imported parts. The lack of high-tech exports points to limited industrial upgrading. To reduce dependency, Argentina could invest in value-added food processing or machinery production. The trade pattern fits a resource-driven economy with growing industrial needs.

Table: Argentina Top Import & Export Product Categories (Source: yTrade)

Check Detailed Argentina Trade HS Code Breakdown

Argentina 2025 May Top Trading Countries

Argentina Global Trade Key Patterns

Argentina’s trade flows show a mix of concentration and diversification. Exports are moderately concentrated, with Brazil (16.3%) and Mainland China (11.7%) as top destinations, followed by India (8.2%) and the U.S. (7%). Imports are more heavily reliant on Brazil (27.1%) and China (19.2%), with the U.S. (9.5%) as the third-largest supplier. Regional trade is strong, with Latin American neighbors (Brazil, Chile, Paraguay) featuring prominently in both exports and imports. Key takeaways:

• Brazil is Argentina’s top partner for both exports and imports.
• China is a critical market and supply source.
• Exports are more diversified than imports.
• Latin America dominates regional trade.
• The U.S. is a key non-regional partner.

Argentina Export–Import Geographic Gap

Exports reach a broader range of markets, while imports depend heavily on Brazil and China, indicating supplier concentration risks. Both flows include overlapping partners (Brazil, China, U.S., Vietnam, Spain), suggesting some processing trade. Exports are more globally distributed, while imports are regionally skewed, especially toward Brazil. This structure points to upstream dependency on a few suppliers but downstream diversification in sales. The gap highlights Argentina’s need to balance import sources while maintaining export market access.

Table: Argentina Top Destiantion & Origin Countries (Source: yTrade)

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the major products exported by Argentina in 2025 May?

Argentina's top exports in May 2025 include vehicles (29.93% share), cereals (11.87%), and animal/vegetable fats (8.23%), based on HS code data.

What are the main products Argentina imports in 2025 May?

Key imports were vehicles (20.06% share), machinery (16.59%), and electrical equipment (10.31%), per HS code analysis.

Which countries are the top destinations for Argentina's exports in 2025 May?

Brazil (27.12%), Mainland China (19.19%), and the United States (9.49%) were Argentina's largest export markets that month.

Which countries supply most of Argentina's imports in 2025 May?

Argentina primarily imported from Brazil (16.26%), Mainland China (11.70%), and India (8.21%) during this period.

How balanced are Argentina's export and import markets in 2025 May?

Argentina's trade surplus narrowed to $610 million as exports fell 7.3% to $7.1B while imports surged 29.5% to $6.5B, reflecting policy-driven shifts.