Argentina Fresh Cheese Export Market -- HS Code 040610 Trade Data & Price Trend (Feb 2025)

Argentina Fresh Cheese Export (HS 040610) Key Takeaways

Argentina's fresh cheese exports under HS Code 040610 in February 2025 reveal a highly specialized trade, with premium variants dominating 98% of export value at 9.40 USD/kg. Shipments declined 11.5% month-over-month despite a 6.1% price increase, signaling potential demand softening in key markets. Brazil remains the dominant buyer, absorbing 58.6% of volume, while Russia and China Taiwan show higher margins for premium products. This analysis, based on cleanly processed Customs data from the yTrade database, highlights Argentina's focus on high-value cheese exports amid shifting trade dynamics.

Argentina Fresh Cheese Export (HS 040610) Background

What is HS Code 040610?

HS Code 040610 refers to fresh (unripened) cheese, a dairy product consumed globally for its versatility in culinary applications. It is widely used in food service, retail, and processing industries due to its mild flavor and quick shelf-life turnover. Stable demand is driven by its role in both household consumption and industrial food production.

Current Context and Strategic Position

Global dairy markets remain competitive, with price volatility influenced by feed costs and supply chain disruptions. Argentina's fresh cheese export sector benefits from the country's robust dairy industry and competitive pricing, positioning it as a key supplier in regional and niche international markets. Monitoring Argentina's Fresh Cheese Export trends under HS Code 040610 trade data is critical for stakeholders navigating shifting trade dynamics and export opportunities. Vigilance is warranted to capitalize on emerging demand and maintain market share.

Argentina Fresh Cheese Export (HS 040610) Price Trend

Key Observations

Argentina's Fresh Cheese exports in February 2025 totaled 42.06 million USD, with a unit price of 9.28 USD per kg, reflecting a shift in trade dynamics from the previous month.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The Argentina Fresh Cheese Export trend showed a sequential decline in February, with total value dropping 11.5% month-over-month from January's 47.52 million USD, while unit prices rose 6.1%. This hs code 040610 value trend suggests potential demand softening or inventory adjustments in key markets, possibly influenced by broader economic factors like currency volatility or seasonal demand cycles in dairy imports, rather than specific policy changes.

Argentina Fresh Cheese Export (HS 040610) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

According to yTrade data for February 2025, Argentina's export of fresh cheese under HS Code 040610 is overwhelmingly dominated by a single sub-category, specifically the sub-code for high-value fresh cheese, which accounts for over 98% of the export value and 97% of the weight. This sub-category commands a unit price of 9.40 USD per kilogram, significantly higher than other variants, indicating a specialized focus on premium or value-added products within the fresh cheese segment.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The remaining sub-codes can be grouped into two main categories based on unit price and value share: standard-grade fresh cheese with prices around 3.97 to 5.43 USD per kilogram, and a minor premium line at 10.80 USD per kilogram. This structure suggests a trade in differentiated manufactured goods rather than fungible bulk commodities, as the price disparities reflect variations in quality, processing, or branding rather than uniform commodity pricing.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

This market concentration grants significant pricing power to exporters of the dominant high-value sub-category, allowing them to leverage quality premiums. For businesses analyzing HS Code 040610 trade data, the strategic focus should be on maintaining or enhancing product differentiation to capitalize on Argentina's export strengths in premium fresh cheese, while monitoring shifts in consumer demand for various grades.

Check Detailed HS Code 040610 Breakdown

Argentina Fresh Cheese Export (HS 040610) Destination Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

Brazil is the dominant destination for Argentina's Fresh Cheese exports in February 2025, holding a 58.59% value share and a 59.69% weight share. The slightly higher weight share compared to value share suggests that shipments to Brazil are volume-driven, possibly involving bulk or standard-grade cheese rather than premium variants. Frequency share is 42.41%, which is not disproportionately high, indicating stable, larger shipments rather than fragmented small orders. This pattern points to Brazil as a key market for consistent, high-volume trade in Fresh Cheese from Argentina.

Destination Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The export destinations can be grouped into three clusters based on share profiles. First, the Volume Cluster includes Brazil and Chile, with high weight and value shares (e.g., Chile at 13.46% weight and 13.64% value), reflecting their role as major hubs for bulk Fresh Cheese consumption or distribution. Second, the High-Yield Cluster consists of Russia and China Taiwan, where value shares (4.01% and 3.85%) exceed weight shares (2.89% and 3.17%), indicating demand for higher-grade or premium cheese varieties. Third, the Transactional Cluster features Paraguay, with a frequency share of 6.61% significantly higher than its value and weight shares, suggesting frequent, smaller shipments typical for perishable goods like fresh cheese to meet daily retail or food service needs.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

For Argentina's Fresh Cheese export strategy, prioritizing high-margin markets like Russia and China Taiwan could enhance profitability through premium product focus. Simultaneously, optimizing logistics and supply chains for volume buyers like Brazil and Chile will support efficient bulk shipments. The high-frequency trade with Paraguay requires agile, just-in-time delivery systems to maintain freshness. Overall, leveraging HS Code 040610 trade data can help balance between volume-driven and value-driven markets for sustained growth in Argentina's Fresh Cheese exports.

Table: Argentina Fresh Cheese (HS 040610) Top Destination Countries (Source: yTrade)

Get Complete Destination Countries Profile

Action Plan for Fresh Cheese Market Operation and Expansion

• Focus on premium sub-codes in high-yield markets like Russia. Use hs code 040610 trade data to track unit prices and shift volume to destinations where value share exceeds weight share. This directly increases profit margins for the Argentina Fresh Cheese Export.
• Optimize logistics for bulk shipments to Brazil and Chile. Analyze shipment frequency and size from the data to consolidate volumes. This reduces per-unit freight costs and secures your role as a reliable bulk supplier.
• Implement a just-in-time delivery system for high-frequency buyers like Paraguay. Use buyer frequency data to forecast demand and schedule smaller, more frequent shipments. This maintains product freshness and minimizes waste in the Fresh Cheese supply chain.
• Continuously monitor for shifts in product specialization within the hs code. Track if new premium sub-codes emerge or if demand for standard grades changes. This allows you to adapt your production and marketing to protect your Argentina Fresh Cheese Export premium pricing power.

Take Action Now —— Explore Argentina Fresh Cheese Export Data

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Argentina's Fresh Cheese exports declined 11.5% in value month-over-month, despite a 6.1% rise in unit prices, suggesting softening demand or inventory adjustments in key markets like Brazil.

Q2. Who are the main destination countries of Argentina Fresh Cheese (HS Code 040610) 2025 February?

Brazil dominates with a 58.59% value share, followed by Chile (13.64%) and Russia (4.01%), forming the top three markets.

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

Price disparities reflect product grades: high-value fresh cheese (9.40 USD/kg) dominates exports, while standard-grade variants (3.97–5.43 USD/kg) and a minor premium line (10.80 USD/kg) cater to specific markets.

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

Exporters should prioritize premium markets like Russia and China Taiwan for higher margins while optimizing bulk logistics for volume-driven buyers like Brazil and Chile.

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

Buyers in Brazil and Chile benefit from stable, large-volume shipments, while those in Russia and China Taiwan access premium-grade cheese. Paraguay’s frequent small shipments suit perishability needs.

Q6. How is Fresh Cheese typically used in this trade flow?

Fresh Cheese is traded as a differentiated manufactured good, with Argentina specializing in high-value variants for premium markets and bulk grades for volume-driven destinations.