Argentina Crustaceans Export Market -- HS Code 0306 Trade Data & Price Trend (Apr 2025)

Argentina Crustaceans Export (HS 0306) Key Takeaways

Argentina's Crustaceans exports under HS code 0306 in April 2025 reveal a market shifting toward higher-value cooked shrimp products, with unit prices rising to $13.98/kg despite declining volumes. The buyer landscape is dominated by high-frequency trading companies, creating stability but also reliance on intermediaries. Spain and China lead as key destinations, with Spain taking smaller, frequent shipments and China absorbing bulk, higher-value loads. This analysis, covering April 2025, is based on cleanly processed Customs data from the yTrade database.

Argentina Crustaceans Export (HS 0306) Background

What is HS Code 0306?

HS Code 0306 covers crustaceans, whether in shell or not, live, fresh, chilled, frozen, dried, salted, or in brine, including those cooked by steaming or boiling. This product category is a staple in global seafood trade, driven by demand from foodservice, retail, and processing industries. Its versatility and shelf-stable forms ensure consistent international demand.

Current Context and Strategic Position

While no recent trade policy shifts directly impact Argentina's crustaceans export, global seafood markets remain sensitive to supply chain disruptions and shifting consumer preferences. Argentina's crustaceans export benefits from its extensive coastline and established aquaculture sector, positioning it as a key supplier to markets in Europe, Asia, and North America. Monitoring hs code 0306 trade data is critical to navigating price volatility and maintaining competitiveness. Argentina's crustaceans export sector must stay agile to capitalize on emerging opportunities and mitigate risks in a dynamic trade environment.

Argentina Crustaceans Export (HS 0306) Price Trend

Key Observations

In April 2025, Argentina's Crustaceans exports under HS code 0306 totaled 119.50 million USD, with the unit price rising to 13.98 USD per kilogram. This performance reflects a continued adjustment in trade volumes amid firming prices.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The Argentina Crustaceans Export trend shows a clear sequential decline in both value and volume from January to April, with value dropping from 225.14 million USD to 119.50 million USD and weight falling from 18.09 million kg to 8.55 million kg. However, the unit price increased steadily from 12.45 USD/kg to 13.98 USD/kg over this period, indicating tighter supply or sustained demand despite lower export quantities. This pattern aligns with typical seasonal cycles for seafood, where reduced catches or inventory drawdowns in early months can lead to higher prices, possibly influenced by global demand shifts or currency effects in Argentina's export markets. The hs code 0306 value trend highlights this balancing act between volume contraction and price resilience.

Argentina Crustaceans Export (HS 0306) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

According to yTrade data, Argentina's export activities under HS Code 0306 in April 2025 are heavily concentrated on frozen shrimps and prawns that are cooked, specifically the variety with a unit price of 13.38 USD per kilogram, which accounts for the largest share by value and weight. A notable anomaly is frozen crabs with a unit price of 34.52 USD per kilogram, which is significantly higher and isolated from the main analysis pool due to its distinct market position.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The remaining exports can be grouped into two main categories based on value-add stage: higher-grade cooked shrimps with unit prices around 19 USD per kilogram, and standard frozen shrimps and prawns with prices ranging from 11 to 14 USD per kilogram. This structure shows a move away from fungible bulk commodities towards differentiated products, where processing level and quality influence pricing, as seen in the HS Code 0306 trade data.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

For market players, this differentiation suggests that focusing on higher-value cooked products can enhance pricing power in Argentina's HS Code 0306 export market. Strategic efforts should prioritize these segments to capture better margins, rather than competing on volume alone.

Table: Argentina HS Code 0306) Breakdown Details (Source: yTrade)

Check Detailed HS Code 0306 Breakdown

Argentina Crustaceans Export (HS 0306) Destination Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

Spain was the dominant destination for Argentina's Crustaceans exports in April 2025, accounting for 22.84% of all shipments. However, its 17.89% share of total export value was notably lower than its frequency share. This gap indicates Spain primarily received smaller, more frequent consignments of product. China Mainland also played a major role, capturing a 20.74% value share from just 13.11% of shipments, which points to purchases of larger, higher-value loads.

Destination Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The data reveals two clear clusters among the top buyers. The first is a Volume/Hub cluster, comprising China Mainland, Peru, and Thailand. These partners show strong quantity and weight shares, suggesting they are key destinations for bulk shipments, likely for further processing or distribution. The second is a High-Yield cluster, led by the United States and Belgium. Both show a value share significantly higher than their quantity share, indicating imports of more premium, higher-value product variants from Argentina.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

For Argentina's Crustaceans trade, the strategy should focus on two areas. Logistics for high-volume partners like China and Peru must be optimized for cost-effective bulk shipping. Simultaneously, commercial efforts should target high-margin markets like the U.S. and Belgium to promote premium product lines. The high frequency of shipments to Spain and others underscores a need for reliable, expedited logistics to maintain product freshness for these buyers. No specific trade news or policy was announced to influence these patterns.

Table: Argentina Crustaceans (HS 0306) Top Destination Countries (Source: yTrade)

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Argentina Crustaceans (HS 0306) Buyers Analysis

Buyer Market Concentration and Dominance

The Argentina Crustaceans Export buyer market in April 2025 shows a clear structure with four segments of buyers based on value and frequency. According to yTrade data, the high value high frequency cluster holds the dominant share by value, defining the typical trade for Argentina Crustaceans Export buyers. This group drives the core market activity for hs code 0306 trade data.

Strategic Buyer Clusters and Trade Role

The remaining clusters include high value low frequency, low value high frequency, and low value low frequency buyers. The profile of hs code 0306 buyers indicates that the dominant high value high frequency group consists mainly of trading companies, pointing to an intermediated market. This suggests that most Argentina Crustaceans Export transactions are handled by agents or distributors rather than direct end-users.

Sales Strategy and Vulnerability

For exporters in Argentina, the buyer structure emphasizes a strategic focus on maintaining relationships with key trading partners in the high value high frequency segment. The reliance on intermediaries presents both stability through consistent orders and vulnerability to market shifts or supply chain disruptions. Sales efforts should prioritize nurturing these core buyers to mitigate risks, especially since no specific trade news or policy changes were announced to alter the outlook.

Check Full Crustaceans Buyer lists

Action Plan for Crustaceans Market Operation and Expansion

• Prioritize exporting higher-grade cooked shrimps to markets like the U.S. and Belgium, as the hs code 0306 trade data shows these buyers pay premium prices for value-added products, which will boost margins for the Argentina Crustaceans Export sector.
• Strengthen relationships with high-value, high-frequency trading companies, as they dominate the Crustaceans supply chain; this ensures consistent order flow and reduces vulnerability to market disruptions.
• Optimize logistics by using cost-effective bulk shipping for high-volume partners like China and Peru, while securing expedited air freight for frequent, smaller shipments to Spain, to maintain product quality across the Argentina Crustaceans Export operations.
• Diversify the buyer base by targeting end-users in the high-yield cluster to reduce over-reliance on intermediaries, using hs code 0306 trade data to identify direct importers of premium products and capture more value.

Take Action Now —— Explore Argentina Crustaceans Export Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in Argentina Crustaceans Export 2025 April?

Argentina's Crustaceans exports saw a sequential decline in volume but a steady rise in unit price (reaching 13.98 USD/kg), reflecting tighter supply or sustained demand despite lower quantities. The shift toward higher-value cooked products (e.g., 19 USD/kg variants) also contributed to price resilience.

Q2. Who are the main destination countries of Argentina Crustaceans (HS Code 0306) 2025 April?

Spain dominated with 22.84% of shipments but only 17.89% of value, while China Mainland accounted for 20.74% of value from 13.11% of shipments. The U.S. and Belgium formed a high-yield cluster with premium purchases.

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

Price gaps stem from product differentiation: bulk buyers like China import standard frozen shrimps (11–14 USD/kg), while high-yield markets (U.S., Belgium) purchase premium cooked variants (up to 19 USD/kg).

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

Exporters should prioritize high-value cooked products for premium markets (U.S., Belgium) and strengthen relationships with high-frequency trading partners (dominant in Spain) to mitigate supply chain risks.

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

Bulk buyers (China, Peru) benefit from cost-efficient shipments, while premium buyers (U.S., Belgium) access differentiated products. Trading intermediaries dominate transactions, ensuring stable supply but requiring reliance on distributors.

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

Frozen shrimps and prawns (HS Code 0306) are primarily exported for further processing or direct retail, with cooked variants targeting premium food markets and bulk shipments serving distribution hubs.