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

Argentina Carbonates Export (HS 2836) Key Takeaways

Argentina's Carbonates Export under HS Code 2836 in March 2025 was dominated by high-value lithium carbonate, capturing nearly the entire export share at $16.70/kg, while bulk industrial carbonates traded at commodity-level prices. The market showed resilience, with a 1.05% value increase despite a 3.89% unit price dip, signaling stabilization after volatility. Buyer concentration remains unclear due to incomplete data, but China dominated as the top destination, accounting for 73.14% of export value, followed by the U.S. with high-volume, lower-value shipments. This analysis is based on cleanly processed Customs data from the yTrade database for March 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 widely used in industries such as agriculture (fertilizers), food processing (leavening agents), and water treatment (pH adjustment). Global demand remains stable due to their essential role in industrial and agricultural applications.

Current Context and Strategic Position

While no specific trade policy updates have been announced, Argentina's carbonates export market is influenced by global commodity price trends and domestic production capacity. As a key supplier, Argentina benefits from its competitive production costs and established trade networks, particularly in regional markets. Monitoring hs code 2836 trade data is critical to anticipate shifts in demand or supply chain disruptions. Argentina's carbonates export performance will hinge on maintaining cost efficiency and adapting to evolving international trade dynamics. Vigilance is advised to capitalize on emerging opportunities in 2025.

Argentina Carbonates Export (HS 2836) Price Trend

Key Observations

In March 2025, Argentina's Carbonates exports under hs code 2836 reached 141.99 million USD, with a unit price of $15.81 per kilogram, reflecting a stabilization after earlier volatility.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The Argentina Carbonates Export trend showed a sequential recovery in March, with value rising 1.05% month-over-month and volume increasing 5.15%, though unit prices declined 3.89% from February. This movement aligns with typical inventory restocking cycles in chemical markets, likely driven by renewed global demand and competitive pricing strategies amid broader economic shifts, such as currency fluctuations affecting export competitiveness. The hs code 2836 value trend indicates a resilient performance despite the mixed quarterly signals.

Argentina Carbonates Export (HS 2836) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

According to yTrade data, Argentina's export of carbonates under HS Code 2836 in March 2025 is overwhelmingly concentrated in lithium carbonate, which captures nearly the entire value share. With a unit price of 16.70 USD per kilogram, it significantly outpaces other products, underscoring a focus on high-value, specialized chemical exports.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The non-dominant exports comprise bulk industrial carbonates, such as sodium bicarbonate and calcium carbonate, with unit prices below 1.36 USD per kilogram. These are low-value, fungible commodities typically traded based on volume and standard grades, indicating a market structure driven by commodity indices rather than product differentiation.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

Argentina holds strong pricing power in the lithium carbonate niche due to its high value and dominance, enabling better profit margins. For the bulk carbonate segments, pricing is more competitive and volume-dependent, suggesting a strategic emphasis on expanding high-value exports while managing costs for commodity lines.

Table: Argentina HS Code 2836) Breakdown Details (Source: yTrade)

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Argentina Carbonates Export (HS 2836) Destination Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

Argentina's carbonates exports in March 2025 were overwhelmingly concentrated with a single buyer. China was the dominant destination, accounting for 73.14% of the total export value and 70.59% of the total weight. The close alignment between its value and weight shares indicates China is primarily sourcing standard, bulk-grade material from Argentina. The United States was a distant second, taking 36.77% of the weight but only 12.29% of the value, signaling a focus on larger volumes of lower-value product.

Destination Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The trade flow splits into three clear clusters. The first is the Bulk Consumer cluster, led by the US and Indonesia, which together account for nearly half the shipment weight but a smaller portion of the value, pointing to high-volume purchases of base-grade carbonates. The second is the Premium cluster, comprising Japan and South Korea. They have a much higher value-to-weight ratio, suggesting imports of more refined or specialized carbonate products. The final cluster includes partners like the Netherlands, Spain, and India. Their high frequency of small-quantity shipments points to a transactional, spot-market trade for niche industrial or laboratory uses.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

For Argentina's HS Code 2836 trade, the strategy should be twofold. First, the supply chain for bulk shipments to China and the US must be optimized for cost and volume to protect this core revenue stream. Second, commercial efforts should target the high-value markets of Japan and South Korea to capture more premium margins. The consistent, smaller shipments to European partners represent a stable secondary channel that requires efficient logistics for high-frequency, low-volume orders.

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

The structure of Argentina Carbonates Export buyers in March 2025 cannot be determined from the provided data. The analysis requires specific figures for the four segments of buyers—high value high frequency, high value low frequency, low value high frequency, and low value low frequency—to identify the dominant group and define the typical trade pattern. According to yTrade data, this breakdown is essential to assess market concentration for HS code 2836 trade data.

Strategic Buyer Clusters and Trade Role

Without the detailed buyer segmentation data, the commercial persona of key buyers for Argentina Carbonates Export remains unclear. The profile of HS code 2836 buyers could indicate whether the market is intermediated, state-controlled, or direct-to-factory, but the missing values prevent any meaningful interpretation of strategic roles or trade dynamics among the four buyer clusters.

Sales Strategy and Vulnerability

Implications for sales strategy and risk management for Argentina Carbonates Export cannot be derived due to incomplete data. A reliable assessment of strategic focus, opportunities, or vulnerabilities hinges on the buyer cluster breakdown from yTrade data, which is not available for March 2025. No relevant trade news or policy context was provided to support alternative analysis.

Check Full Carbonates Buyer lists

Action Plan for Carbonates Market Operation and Expansion

• Prioritize lithium carbonate exports to Japan and South Korea using hs code 2836 trade data to identify high-value buyers, as their premium pricing significantly boosts profit margins for the Argentina Carbonates Export.
• Optimize the Carbonates supply chain for high-volume, low-cost shipments to bulk buyers in the US and Indonesia to protect this core revenue stream and maintain competitive advantage.
• Diversify the Argentina Carbonates Export portfolio by developing more refined, high-grade products to reduce reliance on a few bulk buyers and capture higher value in specialized markets.
• Secure the Carbonates supply chain by building direct relationships with key buyers in China to ensure stable, long-term contracts and mitigate risks from market volatility.

Take Action Now —— Explore Argentina Carbonates Export Data

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Argentina's Carbonates exports saw a 1.05% value increase and 5.15% volume rise in March 2025, despite a 3.89% unit price drop. This reflects inventory restocking cycles and competitive pricing amid global demand shifts.

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

China dominated with 73.14% of export value, followed by the US (12.29% value) and Japan/South Korea (premium cluster with higher value-to-weight ratios).

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

Lithium carbonate (16.70 USD/kg) drives high-value exports, while bulk-grade carbonates like sodium bicarbonate (<1.36 USD/kg) cater to volume-focused markets like China and the US.

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

Optimize bulk supply chains for China/US to protect core revenue, while targeting premium markets (Japan/South Korea) for higher margins.

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

China secures cost-efficient bulk supply, while Japan/South Korea accesses high-grade material. Buyers in Europe benefit from niche, small-quantity shipments for specialized uses.

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

Lithium carbonate serves high-value applications (e.g., batteries), while bulk carbonates like sodium bicarbonate are used in industrial or chemical processes.