Argentina Crude Sunflower Oil Export Market -- HS Code 151211 Trade Data & Price Trend (Feb 2025)

Argentina Crude Sunflower Oil Export (HS 151211) Key Takeaways

Argentina's Crude Sunflower Oil exports under HS Code 151211 surged 260% in February 2025, driven by peak harvest volumes, though unit prices dipped slightly to $2.17/kg. The trade is dominated by bulk-grade oil (96% of volume), with minimal premium product diversification, limiting pricing power. India accounts for 60% of exports, reflecting heavy reliance on large, consolidated shipments to a single market. This analysis covers February 2025 and is based on cleanly processed Customs data from the yTrade database.

Argentina Crude Sunflower Oil Export (HS 151211) Background

What is HS Code 151211?

HS Code 151211 refers to Sunflower seed or safflower oil, crude, a globally traded agricultural commodity. It is primarily used in food processing, cooking oil production, and biofuel manufacturing, with steady demand driven by its versatility and affordability. The product’s trade flows are closely tied to global edible oil markets and agricultural output cycles.

Current Context and Strategic Position

Global commodity price volatility and shifting supply-demand dynamics continue to influence the crude sunflower oil trade. Argentina’s Crude Sunflower Oil Export remains strategically significant, as the country is a top global producer and exporter, leveraging its robust agricultural sector. Monitoring hs code 151211 trade data is critical for stakeholders navigating market fluctuations and competitive pressures. With no major policy shifts reported, attention turns to Argentina’s production trends and export competitiveness in 2025. Vigilance is essential to anticipate price movements and trade opportunities.

Argentina Crude Sunflower Oil Export (HS 151211) Price Trend

Key Observations

Argentina's Crude Sunflower Oil exports in February 2025 reached 264.60 million USD, with a unit price of 2.17 USD per kg, marking a substantial surge from the previous month. This performance underscores a strong start to the year for the hs code 151211 value trend.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The Argentina Crude Sunflower Oil Export trend shows a dramatic month-over-month increase, with export value rising over 260% from January's 72.87 million USD, driven by a near quadrupling of volume to 121.93 million kg. The slight dip in unit price from 2.22 to 2.17 USD per kg likely reflects heightened supply availability during Argentina's peak sunflower harvest period, which typically boosts export flows from January through March. This sequential growth aligns with seasonal patterns in agricultural commodities, where post-harvest inventory releases meet global demand cycles, supporting robust export momentum without significant price inflation.

Argentina Crude Sunflower Oil Export (HS 151211) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

According to yTrade data, Argentina's export of crude sunflower oil under HS Code 151211 in February 2025 is overwhelmingly dominated by a single bulk commodity grade. The sub-code 'Vegetable oils; sunflower seed or safflower oil and their fractions, crude, not chemically modified' (15121110919) accounts for 96% of the total weight shipped. This high-volume flow trades at a relatively low unit price of $2.15 per kilogram, confirming its role as the standard, fungible bulk product in Argentina's export portfolio for this period.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The remaining non-bulk trade splits into two clear tiers. A small volume of higher-value crude oil (15121110911) trades at a premium of $3.71/kg, suggesting either a superior grade or different processing. Two other minor codes (15121120900 and 15121110310) also carry modest premiums, further indicating niche demand for specific qualities. One shipment with an extreme low price of $0.10/kg is a clear outlier and is excluded from this structural analysis. The market is fundamentally structured around a high-volume bulk commodity, with minimal diversification into specialized grades.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

For exporters, this structure means pricing power is limited and heavily tied to global bulk commodity indices for sunflower oil. The high concentration in one low-price code shows that Argentina's export strength under HS Code 151211 lies in volume efficiency, not product differentiation. Any strategic effort to increase margins should focus on developing and scaling the higher-value grades present in the HS Code 151211 trade data, rather than competing on volume alone.

Check Detailed HS Code 151211 Breakdown

Argentina Crude Sunflower Oil Export (HS 151211) Destination Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

India is the dominant buyer of Argentina's Crude Sunflower Oil exports for February 2025, taking nearly 60% of the total value and weight. This high share points to a major, established trade flow. The near-identical value and weight ratios show India pays a standard market price, indicating bulk purchases of the raw commodity. However, India's shipment frequency is much lower than its volume share, confirming these are large, consolidated bulk cargoes rather than many small shipments.

Destination Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The other buyers form two clear clusters. The first is a volume cluster, consisting of Ecuador and Mexico. Both have a high weight share relative to their frequency, mirroring India's profile of bulk purchasing. The second is a transactional cluster, led by Brazil. It has a high shipment frequency but a lower share of total volume and value, suggesting a pattern of smaller, more regular shipments, likely to meet regional demand or for blending operations.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

The export structure is heavily reliant on a few large-volume buyers. The key strategy is to secure this bulk trade with India and Ecuador while managing logistics for their large shipments. Diversifying into markets that order more frequently, like Brazil, could help balance the export portfolio and reduce risk. For Crude Sunflower Oil, this means maintaining strong relationships with major processing hubs and potentially developing more regional trade lanes for smaller quantities.

Table: Argentina Crude Sunflower Oil (HS 151211) Top Destination Countries (Source: yTrade)

Get Complete Destination Countries Profile

Action Plan for Crude Sunflower Oil Market Operation and Expansion

• Use hs code 151211 trade data to actively target smaller, frequent buyers like Brazil to diversify the Argentina Crude Sunflower Oil Export portfolio away from bulk dependence on India; this reduces risk from demand shocks in any single market.
• Develop and scale the higher-value crude oil grades identified in the hs code 151211 trade data to move beyond competing on volume; this captures premium margins and differentiates Argentina's Crude Sunflower Oil supply chain.
• Optimize logistics for large bulk shipments to major hubs like India and Ecuador while creating flexible shipping options for smaller, frequent orders; this balances efficiency across the entire Crude Sunflower Oil supply chain.
• Monitor global sunflower oil indices and competitor pricing in real-time using detailed hs code 151211 trade data; this ensures Argentina's Crude Sunflower Oil Export prices remain competitive while protecting profitability.

Take Action Now —— Explore Argentina Crude Sunflower Oil Export Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in Argentina Crude Sunflower Oil Export 2025 February?

Argentina's Crude Sunflower Oil exports surged 260% in value and nearly quadrupled in volume from January to February 2025, driven by peak harvest season supply and strong global demand. The slight price dip to $2.17/kg reflects increased bulk availability during this period.

Q2. Who are the main destination countries of Argentina Crude Sunflower Oil (HS Code 151211) 2025 February?

India dominates with 60% of total exports by value and weight, followed by Ecuador and Mexico as bulk buyers, and Brazil as a frequent but smaller-scale importer.

Q3. Why does the unit price differ across destination countries of Argentina Crude Sunflower Oil Export?

Price differences stem from product specialization: 96% of exports are bulk-grade crude oil at $2.15/kg, while niche grades like 15121110911 trade at a premium ($3.71/kg) for superior quality or processing.

Q4. What should exporters in Argentina focus on in the current Crude Sunflower Oil export market?

Exporters should secure bulk trade with India and Ecuador while diversifying into smaller, frequent shipments to markets like Brazil to balance risk. Developing higher-value grades could also improve margins.

Q5. What does this Argentina Crude Sunflower Oil export pattern mean for buyers in partner countries?

Major buyers like India benefit from stable bulk supply at market prices, while transactional buyers (e.g., Brazil) gain flexibility for regional demand. Premium-grade buyers access specialized products at higher costs.

Q6. How is Crude Sunflower Oil typically used in this trade flow?

The bulk-grade oil (96% of exports) is primarily used as a raw commodity for food processing or industrial applications, while premium grades likely serve niche culinary or specialty markets.