Argentina Barley Export Market -- HS Code 100390 Trade Data & Price Trend (Feb 2025)

Argentina Barley Export (HS 100390) Key Takeaways

Argentina's barley exports under HS Code 100390 surged in February 2025, with shipment volumes jumping 46% month-over-month to 898.66 million kg, driven by strong demand for standard-grade barley priced at $0.43 per kg. The market is highly concentrated, with Saudi Arabia accounting for 45% of total weight, while premium buyers like India and Colombia paid higher margins for quality grades. Argentina's export strategy hinges on balancing volume stability with Saudi Arabia and capturing value in niche markets. This analysis covers February 2025 and is based on cleanly processed Customs data from the yTrade database.

Argentina Barley Export (HS 100390) Background

What is HS Code 100390?

HS Code 100390 refers to barley, a versatile cereal grain primarily used in animal feed, brewing, and food production. Its global demand remains stable due to its role in livestock nutrition and the beer industry. Barley's adaptability to diverse climates further solidifies its significance in agricultural trade.

Current Context and Strategic Position

While no specific trade policy updates have been announced, Argentina's barley export market remains critical amid fluctuating global commodity prices and competitive grain trade dynamics. As one of the world's top barley exporters, Argentina's production efficiency and export capacity position it as a key supplier, particularly to brewing and feed markets. Monitoring hs code 100390 trade data is essential to anticipate shifts in Argentina's barley export performance and maintain competitiveness in 2025. Market vigilance is advised to navigate potential supply chain or pricing disruptions.

Argentina Barley Export (HS 100390) Price Trend

Key Observations

Argentina's barley exports in February 2025 surged to 408.27 million USD, with a steady unit price of $0.45 per kg, marking a substantial increase from January's 275.65 million USD. This performance highlights a robust start to the year for the hs code 100390 value trend, driven by heightened shipment volumes.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The Argentina Barley Export trend demonstrated strong momentum in February, with export weight jumping to 898.66 million kg from 616.29 million kg in January, indicating a volume-led expansion while prices remained stable. This sequential growth likely reflects typical post-harvest logistics and increased global demand for feed and brewing barley, possibly influenced by favorable currency conditions or competitive positioning in key markets. The hs code 100390 value trend's upward trajectory suggests sustained export vigor, aligning with seasonal inventory movements and broader agricultural trade cycles.

Argentina Barley Export (HS 100390) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

Argentina's export of barley under HS Code 100390 in February 2025 is highly concentrated, with one sub-code dominating the trade. According to yTrade data, the sub-code 10039080100 for 'Cereals; barley, other than seed' accounts for over 70% of both value and weight exported, at a unit price of $0.43 per kg. This indicates a strong specialization in a lower-priced grade of barley. Minor sub-codes with extreme unit prices, such as 10039010210 at $1.80 per kg, are isolated due to negligible volume and do not impact the main market analysis.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The remaining non-anomalous sub-codes fall into two clear categories based on unit price: standard barley at $0.43 per kg (10039080100) and premium barley at $0.53 per kg (10039010100). This split shows that Argentina's barley exports are structured around quality grades, typical of fungible bulk commodities where prices are tied to grade differences rather than value-added processing, with trade likely linked to global commodity indices.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

For market players, pricing power is limited by the commodity nature of barley, dependent on global supply and demand dynamics. Argentina can strategically focus on expanding premium-grade exports to capture higher margins, as seen in the price disparity, while leveraging its strong position in standard-grade barley for volume stability.

Check Detailed HS Code 100390 Breakdown

Argentina Barley Export (HS 100390) Destination Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

Argentina's barley exports in February 2025 were highly concentrated. Saudi Arabia was the dominant buyer, taking 45.35% of the total shipment weight and 43.67% of the total value. The country's value share was slightly lower than its weight share, indicating its purchases were for standard-grade barley. Its high frequency of 74 shipments, representing 47.13% of all transactions, points to a consistent, high-volume supply chain relationship for this commodity.

Destination Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The data reveals two clear clusters among the top buyers. Brazil and China form a volume-driven cluster. Together, they account for over 33% of the total weight, with China's weight share (18.07%) exceeding its value share (16.71%), a typical pattern for bulk commodity trade. A second, high-yield cluster includes India and Colombia. For both, their value shares (6.48% and 5.51%) are higher than their weight shares (5.66% and 5.07%), suggesting they may be sourcing more specialized or higher-quality barley from Argentina. The remaining Gulf nations (Kuwait, UAE, Oman) show balanced profiles, acting as steady, mid-sized buyers.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

For Argentina's barley export strategy, the priority is to maintain its strong position in the high-volume Saudi market while nurturing the higher-value opportunities presented by buyers like India and Colombia. This means ensuring reliable, large-scale logistics for bulk shipments to the dominant partner. For the high-yield cluster, the focus should be on consistently meeting any specific quality standards that justify their premium, potentially increasing the overall value of Argentina's barley shipments. No specific trade news or policy was announced to influence these patterns.

Table: Argentina Barley (HS 100390) Top Destination Countries (Source: yTrade)

Get Complete Destination Countries Profile

Action Plan for Barley Market Operation and Expansion

• Use hs code 100390 trade data to segment buyers by quality grade, prioritizing premium market development in India and Colombia to increase the average unit price of the Argentina Barley Export. This directly captures higher margins from existing trade flows.
• Secure long-term shipping and logistics agreements for high-volume routes to Saudi Arabia and Brazil to ensure the Barley supply chain remains cost-effective and reliable for your largest, most frequent buyers, protecting volume stability.
• Monitor global commodity indices and hs code 100390 trade data for real-time price signals, allowing you to time shipments to premium and volume buyers to maximize revenue from the Argentina Barley Export market.
• Diversify the export portfolio within the Barley supply chain by developing more buyers in the balanced Gulf cluster (e.g., UAE, Kuwait) to mitigate over-reliance on a single dominant market and spread geopolitical risk.

Take Action Now —— Explore Argentina Barley Export Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in Argentina Barley Export 2025 February?

Argentina's barley exports surged in February 2025, reaching $408.27 million, driven by a 46% increase in shipment volume (898.66 million kg) compared to January. Stable unit prices ($0.45/kg) suggest this growth was volume-led, likely tied to post-harvest logistics and global demand for feed/brewing barley.

Q2. Who are the main destination countries of Argentina Barley (HS Code 100390) 2025 February?

Saudi Arabia dominated with 45.35% of shipment weight, followed by Brazil and China (combined 33% weight share). India and Colombia formed a smaller but higher-value cluster, paying premium prices for specialized grades.

Q3. Why does the unit price differ across destination countries of Argentina Barley Export?

Price differences reflect barley grades: standard-grade trades at $0.43/kg (e.g., Saudi Arabia), while premium-grade commands $0.53/kg (e.g., India/Colombia). Anomalous sub-codes (e.g., $1.80/kg) are negligible in volume.

Q4. What should exporters in Argentina focus on in the current Barley export market?

Exporters should prioritize maintaining bulk shipments to Saudi Arabia while expanding premium-grade sales to high-value markets like India and Colombia to capture higher margins.

Q5. What does this Argentina Barley export pattern mean for buyers in partner countries?

High-volume buyers (e.g., Saudi Arabia) benefit from stable supply chains, while premium buyers (e.g., India) secure quality-specific barley. Gulf nations act as steady mid-sized partners with balanced trade terms.

Q6. How is Barley typically used in this trade flow?

Argentina’s barley exports are primarily bulk commodities for feed or brewing, with prices tied to global indices. Premium grades may cater to specialized brewing or food processing needs.