Argentina Carbonates Export Market -- HS Code 2836 Trade Data & Price Trend (Feb 2025)

Argentina Carbonates Export (HS 2836) Key Takeaways

Argentina's Carbonates Export under HS Code 2836 in February 2025 was dominated by high-value lithium carbonate, commanding a premium price of 16.97 USD/kg, while other carbonates traded as bulk commodities below 1 USD/kg. Exports declined 18% in value and 19% in volume from January, though unit prices edged up 0.7%, signaling potential supply constraints. Buyer concentration data was unavailable, leaving market risks unclear. China dominated as the top destination, capturing 75.86% of export value, followed by the U.S. and Chile in distinct high-value and volume-driven clusters. This analysis is based on cleanly processed customs data from the yTrade database for February 2025.

Argentina Carbonates Export (HS 2836) Background

What is HS Code 2836?

HS Code 2836 covers carbonates; peroxocarbonates (percarbonates); and commercial ammonium carbonate containing ammonium carbamate. These chemicals are critical for industrial applications, including pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and lithium battery production. Global demand remains stable due to their versatile use in manufacturing and energy storage solutions.

Current Context and Strategic Position

Argentina has emerged as a key player in carbonates export, ranking second globally in shipments under HS Code 2836 [Volza]. Recent policy shifts, including a 0% export duty rate for certain goods from September to October 2025, aim to boost trade competitiveness [KPMG]. Argentina's strategic position is further reinforced by permanent reductions in agricultural export taxes, indirectly benefiting adjacent chemical sectors [USDA]. For hs code 2836 trade data, vigilance is essential to navigate evolving customs rules and capitalize on duty-free windows.

Argentina Carbonates Export (HS 2836) Price Trend

Key Observations

In February 2025, Argentina's exports of Carbonates under HS Code 2836 were valued at 140.52 million USD, with a unit price of 16.45 USD per kilogram. This performance reflects a notable shift from the previous month, highlighting the dynamic nature of the Argentina Carbonates Export trend.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The hs code 2836 value trend declined by approximately 18% month-over-month in February, down from 171.21 million USD in January, while export weight decreased by 19% to 8.54 million kg. Despite the volume contraction, the unit price increased slightly by 0.7%, indicating potential supply constraints or stable demand in the industrial chemicals market. This sequential downturn may align with typical post-holiday inventory drawdowns or seasonal adjustments in production cycles for carbonate-based products.

External Context and Outlook

External factors, such as Argentina's evolving export duty policies and global demand fluctuations for industrial chemicals, likely influenced this period's performance. While specific policy changes occurred later in 2025, the broader economic environment, including currency volatility and trade dynamics with key partners, continues to shape the Argentina Carbonates Export trend. Looking ahead, monitoring these macro conditions will be crucial for anticipating recovery or further adjustments in export volumes and values.

Argentina Carbonates Export (HS 2836) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

According to yTrade data, Argentina's export under HS Code 2836 in February 2025 is overwhelmingly dominated by lithium carbonate, which represents almost the entire export value. This product, with a unit price of 16.97 USD per kilogram, stands out sharply against other carbonates that trade below 1 USD per kilogram, highlighting its specialized, high-value nature in the market.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The remaining exports consist of standard industrial carbonates like calcium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate, all trading at low unit prices below 1 USD per kilogram. This grouping indicates a trade in fungible bulk commodities, where products are largely undifferentiated and price-sensitive, contrasting with the high-grade, specialized lithium carbonate that commands premium pricing.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

This market structure grants significant pricing power to lithium carbonate exporters, allowing them to leverage its high value and demand. For other carbonate products, competition is likely based on cost efficiency and volume, suggesting a strategic focus on maintaining quality and supply chains for lithium while optimizing bulk operations for lower-value items.

Check Detailed HS Code 2836 Breakdown

Argentina Carbonates Export (HS 2836) Destination Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

In February 2025, CHINA MAINLAND was the dominant destination for Argentina's Carbonates exports, holding 75.86% of the value and 74.61% of the weight shipped. The value share slightly exceeds the weight share, indicating that exports to China may involve higher-grade or more processed versions of Carbonates under HS Code 2836. The frequency share of 47.89% is substantial but aligned with volume, suggesting steady, large-scale trade rather than fragmented shipments.

Destination Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

Export partners cluster into two main groups. First, China and the United States form a high-value cluster, with the US taking 17.19% of value and 13.97% of weight, reflecting demand for premium Carbonates. Second, Chile represents a volume-transactional cluster, with a weight share of 2.74% but a very low value share of 0.08%, coupled with a high frequency share of 12.68%. This points to frequent, bulk shipments of raw or lower-value Carbonates, likely for industrial processing or regional distribution. Other countries like South Korea and Netherlands have minor shares, with South Korea's weight share slightly outpacing value, hinting at bulk purchases.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

Argentina should prioritize sustaining high-margin exports to China and the US, while streamlining logistics for bulk and frequent shipments to Chile to reduce costs. For HS Code 2836 trade data, leveraging Argentina's role as a key exporter requires monitoring for any policy changes, but no major shifts were evident in February 2025. Optimizing supply chains for volume buyers like Chile could enhance efficiency without compromising premium market focus.

Table: Argentina Carbonates (HS 2836) Top Destination Countries (Source: yTrade)

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Argentina Carbonates (HS 2836) Buyers Analysis

Buyer Market Concentration and Dominance

According to yTrade data, no specific information on the four segments of buyers is available for Argentina Carbonates Export in February 2025. This lack of data prevents any analysis of market concentration, dominant clusters, or typical trade patterns for hs code 2836 trade data during this period.

Strategic Buyer Clusters and Trade Role

Without buyer cluster data from yTrade, the commercial roles and profiles of hs code 2836 buyers cannot be determined for February 2025. The strategic importance of different buyer types, such as traders or manufacturers, remains unclear for Argentina Carbonates Export.

Sales Strategy and Vulnerability

In the absence of buyer data, sales strategies for Argentina Carbonates Export cannot be informed by cluster insights. Potential vulnerabilities or opportunities are not specifiable without supporting data or relevant news context for February 2025.

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Action Plan for Carbonates Market Operation and Expansion

Strategic Supply Chain Overview

Argentina's Carbonates Export under hs code 2836 trade data reveals a two-tier market. Price is driven by lithium carbonate's high grade and specialized demand. It also depends on bulk commodity pricing for standard industrial carbonates.

This structure creates distinct Carbonates supply chain needs. Argentina must ensure secure, high-quality lithium shipments to premium markets. It must also maintain cost-efficient bulk logistics for volume buyers. Heavy reliance on China introduces geopolitical risk to the entire operation.

Action Plan: Data-Driven Steps for Carbonates Market Execution and Expansion

• Prioritize export resources toward China and the United States. Use hs code 2836 trade data to track unit prices and ensure consistent high-grade product flow. This protects the high-margin revenue from Argentina Carbonates Export.
• Optimize logistics for high-frequency, low-value shipments to Chile. Analyze shipment frequency and weight data to consolidate loads and reduce per-unit freight costs. This maintains competitiveness for bulk carbonate commodities without sacrificing premium market focus.
• Actively work to identify key buyers within dominant markets. Use advanced trade data to uncover the specific companies behind the import records. This reveals whether you are selling to end-users or traders, allowing for more direct and profitable contracts.
• Monitor competitor shipping routes and volumes to all key destinations. Track competitor export data for hs code 2836 to anticipate market saturation and price shifts. This allows for proactive pricing and strategy adjustments to protect market share.
• Establish alerts for policy changes in China affecting lithium imports. Continuously screen regulatory news and trade flow data. This provides early warning of potential disruptions to the most critical leg of the Carbonates supply chain.

Take Action Now —— Explore Argentina Carbonates Export Data

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Argentina's Carbonates exports declined by 18% in value and 19% in weight from January 2025, likely due to post-holiday inventory adjustments or seasonal production cycles. Despite the drop, unit prices rose slightly (0.7%), suggesting stable demand or supply constraints for high-value lithium carbonate, which dominates exports.

Q2. Who are the main destination countries of Argentina Carbonates (HS Code 2836) 2025 February?

China was the top destination (75.86% of export value), followed by the U.S. (17.19%) and Chile (0.08%). China and the U.S. form a high-value cluster, while Chile represents bulk, low-value shipments.

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

The price gap stems from lithium carbonate (16.97 USD/kg), a premium product shipped to China and the U.S., versus bulk industrial carbonates (under 1 USD/kg) sent to Chile and others.

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

Exporters should prioritize sustaining high-margin lithium carbonate sales to China and the U.S. while optimizing logistics for frequent, low-value shipments to Chile to reduce costs.

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

Buyers in China and the U.S. secure high-grade lithium carbonate for specialized uses, while Chile’s bulk purchases suggest industrial processing or regional redistribution needs.

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

Lithium carbonate is a high-value component for batteries and tech, while other carbonates serve as undifferentiated bulk materials for industrial applications like construction or chemicals.