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

Argentina Crude Sunflower Oil Export (HS 151211) Key Takeaways

Argentina's Crude Sunflower Oil exports under HS Code 151211 faced a sharp decline in May 2025, dropping to $120.44 million after months of strong growth, likely due to regulatory changes impacting certification processes. The product is split into two grades—a bulk option (1.06 USD/kg) and a premium tier (1.23 USD/kg)—offering exporters pricing power through quality differentiation. India dominates as the top buyer, absorbing 63.08% of volume but at lower margins, while markets like the Netherlands pay premiums for smaller, higher-value shipments. This analysis covers May 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 key agricultural commodity used primarily in food processing, cooking oil production, and biodiesel manufacturing. Its global demand remains stable due to its versatility and health benefits compared to other vegetable oils. Argentina is a major producer, leveraging its vast sunflower cultivation to supply both domestic and international markets.

Current Context and Strategic Position

On February 6, 2025, Argentina's Ministry of the Economy introduced Resolución 237/2024, modifying quality and security certification requirements for imports, which could indirectly impact export compliance for Crude Sunflower Oil [Expeditors]. Argentina's Crude Sunflower Oil Export is strategically significant, as the country ranks among the top global suppliers, driven by competitive pricing and high production yields. Monitoring hs code 151211 trade data is critical for stakeholders to navigate regulatory shifts and maintain market competitiveness. Vigilance is advised as policy changes may influence export logistics and certification timelines.

Argentina Crude Sunflower Oil Export (HS 151211) Price Trend

Key Observations

In May 2025, Argentina's Crude Sunflower Oil exports under hs code 151211 reached a value of $120.44 million USD, representing a significant downturn from the robust performance in prior months.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The Argentina Crude Sunflower Oil Export trend exhibited strong sequential growth from January to April 2025, with export values climbing from $72.87 million to $324.70 million USD, reflecting typical post-harvest inventory builds and global demand for edible oils. However, this upward trajectory reversed sharply in May, likely influenced by regulatory adjustments; a February policy change by Argentina to modify quality and security certification for imports [Expeditors] introduced potential compliance delays or uncertainty, disrupting the hs code 151211 value trend amid the seasonal transition.

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 May 2025 is highly concentrated, with sub-code 15121110919 dominating at 85.85 percent of the value and 87.55 percent of the quantity. This sub-code, described as vegetable oils crude and not chemically modified, has an approximate unit price of 1.06 USD per kilogram. A minor sub-code, 15121110310, is isolated as an anomaly due to its very low volume and value share of 0.02 percent.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The non-anomalous sub-codes form two groups based on unit price: a lower-priced bulk grade (15121110919 at about 1.06 USD/kg) and a higher-priced grade (15121110911 at about 1.23 USD/kg), both with the same crude oil description. This structure suggests a trade in slightly differentiated commodities, where price variations may indicate differences in quality or origin, rather than a fully fungible bulk market tied solely to indices.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

For exporters, the price disparity offers an opportunity to leverage quality differentiation for better pricing power. Focusing on producing and marketing the higher-grade oil could help capture more value in Argentina's HS Code 151211 export activities, while bulk producers may need to compete on cost efficiency.

Check Detailed HS Code 151211 Breakdown

Argentina Crude Sunflower Oil Export (HS 151211) Destination Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

India is the dominant destination for Argentina's Crude Sunflower Oil exports in May 2025. It accounts for 61.78% of the total export value but an even larger 63.08% of the total quantity. This pattern, where the quantity share exceeds the value share, is a clear sign of bulk commodity trade. It shows India is buying large volumes of this raw product, likely for further processing or mass consumption.

Destination Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The trade data reveals two distinct buyer profiles. The first is a bulk cluster, led by India, which imports massive volumes at a lower unit cost. The second is a high-yield cluster, including the Netherlands and the United States. For instance, the Netherlands accounts for only 4.49% of the quantity but 5.37% of the value, suggesting it pays a premium for higher-quality oil or faces different logistical costs. A third, transactional cluster includes the United States and Chile, which have high shipment frequencies relative to their value share, pointing to a supply chain built on regular, smaller shipments.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

Argentina's export strategy for Crude Sunflower Oil must balance two approaches. For bulk buyers like India, the focus should be on optimizing logistics and securing long-term supply contracts to maintain this high-volume trade. For high-yield markets like the Netherlands, the opportunity lies in capturing more value by potentially certifying premium grades of oil to justify higher prices. The frequent shipments to partners like the US and Chile require a reliable and efficient shipping operation to meet their consistent demand.

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

• Target premium markets like the Netherlands and the US with certified higher-grade oil. Use the hs code 151211 trade data to identify which buyers pay more per kilogram; this captures more value per shipment for Argentina's Crude Sunflower Oil Export.
• Secure long-term contracts with high-volume buyers like India to ensure stable demand. This stabilizes the Crude Sunflower Oil supply chain and provides predictable revenue, allowing for better planning and investment in logistics.
• Optimize bulk shipping logistics for the India trade route to reduce per-unit costs. Improving efficiency for this high-volume flow directly protects the profitability of the Argentina Crude Sunflower Oil Export business against freight price fluctuations.
• Implement a certification program to formally differentiate the higher-priced oil grade. This justifies the price premium for quality-conscious buyers and is a clear strategy revealed by analyzing the hs code 151211 trade data.
• Use shipment frequency data to align production and inventory cycles with regular, smaller buyers like Chile. This prevents stockouts or overstocking, ensuring a reliable and efficient Crude Sunflower Oil supply chain for key transactional partners.

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 May?

Argentina's Crude Sunflower Oil exports dropped sharply in May 2025 after strong growth earlier in the year, likely due to regulatory changes affecting quality and security certification for imports, disrupting the trade flow.

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

India dominates as the top destination, accounting for 61.78% of export value, followed by the Netherlands (5.37%) and the United States, which has high shipment frequency but lower volume share.

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

Price differences stem from two product grades: a bulk-grade oil (1.06 USD/kg) and a higher-priced grade (1.23 USD/kg), with markets like the Netherlands paying premiums for quality or facing different logistics costs.

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

Exporters should prioritize producing higher-grade oil for premium markets like the Netherlands while optimizing logistics for bulk buyers like India to maintain volume and value balance.

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

Bulk buyers like India benefit from stable, large-volume supply, while premium buyers (e.g., Netherlands) may secure differentiated quality. Frequent shippers (e.g., US) rely on Argentina’s consistent delivery efficiency.

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

The oil is primarily exported as a crude, non-chemically modified commodity, likely for further processing into edible oils or mass consumption in destination markets.