Argentina Corn Export Market -- HS Code 1005 Trade Data & Price Trend (Feb 2025)

Argentina Corn Export (HS 1005) Key Takeaways

Argentina's corn exports under HS code 1005 surged to $1.42 billion in February 2025, driven by an 11.6% price jump to $0.48/kg despite a slight volume dip, reflecting pre-harvest tightening. Bulk corn dominated shipments, with Vietnam as the top premium buyer (14.2% share), while transactional buyers like Peru and Chile drove high-frequency trade. The market remains commodity-driven, with limited pricing power in bulk segments but niche potential in high-value seed corn. This analysis, covering February 2025, is based on cleanly processed customs data from the yTrade database.

Argentina Corn Export (HS 1005) Background

What is HS Code 1005?

HS Code 1005 refers to maize (corn), a staple crop with broad industrial and food applications. It is a key commodity for animal feed, biofuel production, and human consumption, driving stable global demand. Argentina ranks among the world’s top exporters, leveraging its agricultural sector to supply international markets.

Current Context and Strategic Position

In 2025, Argentina’s government temporarily eliminated export taxes on corn (HS 1005) and other grains until October to boost foreign sales and stabilize dollar inflows [FreightAmigo]. This policy shift, part of broader economic reforms, underscores Argentina’s strategic role as a leading corn exporter. With agriculture accounting for 54% of exports, Argentina’s corn export data under HS Code 1005 remains critical for global supply chains. Market participants should monitor policy extensions or reversals to navigate trade risks effectively.

Argentina Corn Export (HS 1005) Price Trend

Key Observations

Argentina's corn exports under HS code 1005 reached $1.42 billion in February 2025, with a unit price of $0.48 per kg. This represents a solid increase from January's $1.31 billion and $0.43 per kg, indicating stronger revenue despite a slight dip in volume.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The Argentina Corn Export trend in early 2025 shows a price-driven uplift, with unit prices rising 11.6% month-over-month to $0.48 per kg in February, while export weight edged down 2.3% to 2.98 billion kg. This sequential gain in value, up 8.4% from January, aligns with typical pre-harvest dynamics where supply tightens and prices firm ahead of the main harvest period starting in March, reflecting strategic stock management by exporters.

External Context and Outlook

The hs code 1005 value trend in February likely benefited from broader economic factors, such as currency stability or global demand shifts, rather than specific policy changes during the month. Argentina's role as a key corn exporter means that seasonal cycles and international price movements continue to drive performance, with the upcoming harvest expected to influence volumes and pricing in subsequent months.

Argentina Corn Export (HS 1005) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

In February 2025, Argentina's export under HS Code 1005 is dominated by bulk corn for non-seed use, specifically the sub-code for "Cereals; maize (corn), other than seed". According to yTrade data, this sub-code accounts for over 98% of the export value and weight, with a unit price of $0.48 per kilogram. A small volume of seed corn is present at a much higher price of $10.93 per kilogram, but it is isolated from the main analysis due to its minimal share.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The non-anomalous sub-codes fall into two main groups: standard bulk corn at $0.48 per kilogram and a slightly higher-grade option at $1.05 per kilogram, both for non-seed use. This structure indicates a trade primarily in fungible bulk commodities, where products are largely undifferentiated and price-driven, with minor variations possibly linked to quality or processing stages rather than significant value addition.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

Market players face low pricing power in the bulk segments due to high competition and commodity nature. Strategic focus should be on exploring niche, high-value opportunities like seed corn to improve margins. Analyzing HS Code 1005 trade data reveals that Argentina's export strength lies in volume, but diversification into specialized products could enhance overall returns.

Check Detailed HS Code 1005 Breakdown

Argentina Corn Export (HS 1005) Destination Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

Vietnam was the top destination for Argentina's corn exports in February 2025, taking 14.2% of the total value. This share slightly exceeded its 12.8% portion of the total weight shipped, suggesting Vietnamese buyers paid a small premium, likely for specific corn grades or varieties. Shipment frequency to Vietnam was moderate at 4.0% of all transactions, indicating trade was conducted in larger, consolidated lots rather than numerous small shipments.

Destination Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The remaining importers form three clear groups. Peru and Chile form a Transactional Cluster, characterized by high shipment frequency (7.6% and 10.1%) relative to their value shares. This points to a trade pattern of regular, perhaps smaller, dispatches. A Volume Cluster includes Algeria, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Indonesia. Their weight shares consistently outpace their value shares, confirming their role as bulk buyers of standard commodity corn. Finally, a smaller Niche Cluster of Morocco and the Philippines shows more balanced but lower shares, indicating targeted purchases of specific corn types.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

The export strategy should focus on two fronts. For high-volume buyers, logistics must be optimized for large, cost-effective bulk shipments. Argentina's temporary elimination of export taxes on grains, including corn, until October 2025 is a key advantage here, making its offers more competitive for these bulk purchases [FreightAmigo]. For the Vietnamese market and other premium opportunities, the focus should be on capturing higher margins by ensuring consistent quality and reliable delivery of preferred corn varieties. Accurate classification using the 8-digit Mercosur NCM codes is essential for all shipments to avoid customs delays [FreightAmigo].

Table: Argentina Corn (HS 1005) Top Destination Countries (Source: yTrade)

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Argentina Corn (HS 1005) Buyers Analysis

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Please provide the complete buyer cluster data to generate the required analysis.

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Action Plan for Corn Market Operation and Expansion

Strategic Supply Chain Overview

Argentina Corn Export under hs code 1005 trade data shows a bulk commodity market. Price is driven by global corn indices and quality grades. The Corn supply chain faces low pricing power due to high competition. Supply chain implications focus on securing large-volume shipments and ensuring quality for premium buyers. Geopolitical factors, like temporary tax exemptions, add volatility but boost competitiveness.

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

• Use hs code 1005 trade data to target high-value sub-codes like seed corn. This diversifies revenue and improves margins beyond bulk sales.
• Analyze destination cluster data to customize logistics for volume buyers with large shipments. This reduces per-unit costs and enhances supply security.
• Monitor Argentina's export policy changes and global price indices. This allows timely adjustments to capitalize on tax advantages and market shifts.
• Implement strict quality checks and accurate NCM coding for all exports. This prevents customs delays and maintains reliability in the Corn supply chain.

Take Action Now —— Explore Argentina Corn Export Data

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Argentina's corn export value rose to $1.42 billion in February 2025, driven by an 11.6% month-over-month price increase to $0.48 per kg, despite a slight 2.3% volume dip. This reflects pre-harvest supply tightening and strategic stock management ahead of the March harvest.

Q2. Who are the main destination countries of Argentina Corn (HS Code 1005) 2025 February?

Vietnam was the top destination, accounting for 14.2% of export value, followed by Peru and Chile. Algeria, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Indonesia formed a bulk-buying cluster, while Morocco and the Philippines represented niche buyers.

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

Price differences stem from product specialization: bulk corn trades at $0.48/kg, while niche buyers like Vietnam pay slight premiums for specific grades ($1.05/kg). Seed corn, priced at $10.93/kg, is negligible in volume share.

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

Exporters should prioritize bulk logistics for high-volume buyers and target premium markets like Vietnam with consistent quality. Diversification into high-value segments (e.g., seed corn) could improve margins amid low pricing power in bulk trade.

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

Bulk buyers (e.g., Algeria, Indonesia) benefit from cost-effective commodity corn, while Vietnam’s premium reflects targeted demand. Transactional buyers like Peru and Chile rely on frequent, smaller shipments for regular supply.

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

Over 98% of Argentina’s corn exports under HS Code 1005 are bulk-grade for non-seed use, indicating fungible commodity trade for feed or industrial processing. Seed corn remains a negligible but high-value niche.