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

Argentina Crustaceans Export (HS 0306) Key Takeaways

Argentina's Crustaceans exports under HS Code 0306 in May 2025 reveal a market dominated by frozen shrimps and prawns, with cooked varieties driving higher margins, while uncooked products trade as bulk commodities. Export values plummeted to $38.05 million, continuing a sharp decline from earlier in the year, signaling volatility. Buyer data remains unavailable, obscuring market risk assessment, but Peru emerged as the top destination, absorbing bulk shipments at lower prices, while the U.S. and U.K. demanded premium-grade crustaceans. This analysis, covering May 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 essential for global food industries, particularly in seafood processing and retail, due to its versatility and high demand in both domestic and international markets. Stable global consumption trends underscore its significance in trade.

Current Context and Strategic Position

Argentina recently eliminated export taxes on industrial products, including crustaceans, effective May 8, 2025, to boost overseas shipments [Aduana News]. This policy shift positions Argentina's crustaceans export sector for potential growth, leveraging its competitive advantage in seafood production. The country's strategic access to fertile fishing grounds and established trade routes enhances its role in global supply chains. Monitoring hs code 0306 trade data is now critical to assess the impact of these changes and identify emerging opportunities. Market vigilance is essential to capitalize on this evolving landscape.

Argentina Crustaceans Export (HS 0306) Price Trend

Key Observations

Argentina's crustaceans exports in May 2025 reached 38.05 million USD, representing a sharp decline from earlier in the year and highlighting volatility in the Argentina Crustaceans Export trend for this period.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The hs code 0306 value trend showed a consistent downward trajectory from January's 225.14 million USD through April, with May's figure continuing this slide amid broader market adjustments. This sequential softening may reflect seasonal demand shifts or inventory cycles typical in seafood exports, compounded by Argentina's recent policy move to eliminate export taxes on industrial products [Aduana News], which could reshape trade flows in coming months despite the current dip.

Argentina Crustaceans Export (HS 0306) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

According to yTrade data for May 2025, Argentina's export activities under HS Code 0306 are heavily concentrated in frozen shrimps and prawns, with the sub-code for cooked in shell varieties dominating the market. This sub-code accounts for over 33 percent of the total export value, indicating a strong specialization in prepared crustaceans. A notable anomaly is the sub-code for frozen crabs, which has a much higher unit price per kilogram, suggesting a niche, high-value product that is isolated from the main analysis pool due to its distinct market characteristics.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The remaining sub-codes for HS Code 0306 exports from Argentina can be grouped into two main categories based on processing level: cooked shrimps with higher value per kilogram and uncooked or less processed shrimps with lower value per kilogram. This grouping reveals a value-chain where some products are more differentiated through cooking, while others are traded in a more commodity-like manner. The structure implies a market that blends fungible bulk goods with slightly value-added items, but overall, the trade remains focused on standardized frozen crustaceans.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

For businesses involved in Argentina's HS Code 0306 export, the high concentration in shrimps underscores a reliance on this segment, while the presence of higher-value cooked products offers opportunities for better pricing power. Strategic focus should be on expanding value-added processing to differentiate offerings and capture higher margins, rather than competing solely on volume. Analyzing HS Code 0306 trade data highlights the need for diversification to mitigate risks and enhance profitability in this market.

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

In May 2025, Peru was the top destination for Argentina's Crustaceans exports, accounting for 29.71% of the export value and 33.51% of the quantity. The higher quantity share compared to value indicates that Peru primarily receives bulk or lower-grade Crustaceans, with frequent shipments shown by a 29.34% frequency share. This pattern suggests Peru acts as a key market for volume-driven trade.

Destination Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The export partners form two main clusters based on share profiles. A high-yield cluster includes the United States, United Kingdom, and China Mainland, where value shares exceed quantity shares, signaling demand for premium or higher-grade Crustaceans, likely for upscale markets. A volume cluster consists of Peru, Russia, Morocco, Indonesia, Thailand, and Japan, with quantity shares outpacing value shares, pointing to bulk trade for processing or mass consumption. The high frequency from the United States and Spain suggests transactional, just-in-time supply chains, common for perishable goods like fresh seafood.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

Argentina should prioritize capturing higher margins in markets like the United States and United Kingdom by offering premium Crustaceans, while streamlining logistics for bulk buyers in Peru and Russia to maintain volume efficiency. Supply chains need to emphasize freshness and reliability to support frequent shipments to key partners, enhancing overall export performance for Crustaceans trade data.

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

Get Complete Destination Countries Profile

Argentina Crustaceans (HS 0306) Buyers Analysis

Buyer Market Concentration and Dominance

According to yTrade data, no information is available on the buyer clusters for Argentina Crustaceans Export in May 2025. This means the market structure for hs code 0306 trade data cannot be defined, and no dominant cluster or typical trade patterns can be identified for the four segments of buyers based on value and frequency.

Strategic Buyer Clusters and Trade Role

Without specific data, the characteristics and commercial roles of the buyer clusters for Argentina Crustaceans Export remain unknown. The profile of hs code 0306 buyers cannot be analyzed, and no insights into whether the market is intermediated, state-controlled, or direct-to-factory are possible for this period.

Sales Strategy and Vulnerability

The lack of buyer cluster data limits strategic guidance for Argentina's Crustaceans Export. Sales approaches and risk assessments cannot be detailed without understanding the buyer base. General export practices should be followed, but no specific vulnerabilities or opportunities are highlighted based on the available information.

Check Full Crustaceans Buyer lists

Action Plan for Crustaceans Market Operation and Expansion

• Target premium markets like the U.S. and U.K. with higher-grade cooked products, using hs code 0306 trade data to identify specific high-value buyers; this directly increases the profit margin for the Argentina Crustaceans Export by focusing on value over volume.
• Diversify the export basket by increasing the share of value-added items like cooked and prepared crustaceans, as shown in the hs code 0306 trade data; this reduces reliance on bulk, commodity-style trade and builds stronger pricing power.
• Streamline the Crustaceans supply chain for high-frequency, bulk partners like Peru and Russia to ensure cost-effective and reliable volume shipments; this maintains Argentina's competitive edge in volume-driven markets.
• Mitigate market risk by using detailed hs code 0306 trade data to monitor for over-reliance on any single partner or product category; this protects the Argentina Crustaceans Export from demand shocks or geopolitical disruptions.

Take Action Now —— Explore Argentina Crustaceans Export Data

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Argentina's Crustaceans exports dropped sharply to $38.05 million in May 2025, continuing a downward trend from earlier months. This reflects seasonal demand shifts and potential market adjustments, compounded by Argentina's recent policy to eliminate export taxes on industrial products.

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

Peru was the top destination, accounting for 29.71% of export value and 33.51% of quantity. The United States, United Kingdom, and China Mainland formed a high-yield cluster, while Peru, Russia, and others focused on bulk trade.

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

Price differences stem from product specialization—cooked shrimps command higher prices, while uncooked or bulk varieties trade at lower rates. The U.S. and UK demand premium products, whereas Peru receives lower-grade, volume-driven shipments.

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

Exporters should prioritize value-added processing (e.g., cooked shrimps) to capture higher margins in premium markets like the U.S. and UK, while optimizing logistics for bulk buyers like Peru to maintain volume efficiency.

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

Buyers in high-yield markets (U.S., UK, China) can access premium products, while volume-focused buyers (Peru, Russia) benefit from consistent bulk supply. The lack of buyer cluster data limits deeper strategic insights.

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

Argentina's exports under HS Code 0306 are primarily frozen shrimps and prawns, with cooked varieties serving higher-end markets and bulk uncooked products catering to mass consumption or further processing.