Argentina Frozen Fish Fillets Export Market -- HS Code 030474 Trade Data & Price Trend (May 2025)

Argentina Frozen Fish Fillets Export (HS 030474) Key Takeaways

Argentina's Frozen Fish Fillets Export under HS Code 030474 saw a sharp decline in May 2025, dropping to $18.03M after months of growth, signaling market volatility. The product is largely a fungible bulk commodity, with Spain and Brazil dominating as high-volume, steady-demand markets, while a niche high-grade variant offers limited premium potential. Exporters must prioritize cost efficiency and logistics for perishable shipments to maintain competitiveness in these concentrated markets. This analysis covers May 2025 and is based on cleanly processed Customs data from the yTrade database.

Argentina Frozen Fish Fillets Export (HS 030474) Background

What is HS Code 030474?

HS Code 030474 refers to fish fillets, frozen, a globally traded commodity with stable demand driven by food processing industries and retail markets. Frozen fish fillets are a cost-effective protein source, widely used in restaurants, supermarkets, and ready-to-eat meal production. Their extended shelf life and ease of transport make them a key product in international trade.

Current Context and Strategic Position

On April 16, 2025, Argentina enacted Decree 273/2025, simplifying the importation of used capital goods, which could indirectly impact production efficiency in the fishing sector [Trade.gov]. Argentina's Frozen Fish Fillets Export sector benefits from the country's extensive coastline and established fishing industry, positioning it as a competitive supplier in global markets. Monitoring hs code 030474 trade data is critical to assess how policy shifts and global demand fluctuations may affect export volumes and pricing. Vigilance is advised to capitalize on emerging opportunities in this dynamic trade environment.

Argentina Frozen Fish Fillets Export (HS 030474) Price Trend

Key Observations

In May 2025, Argentina's Frozen Fish Fillets exports under HS code 030474 reached a value of 18.03 million USD, marking a significant downturn from the robust performance in prior months.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The Argentina Frozen Fish Fillets Export trend showed consistent growth from January to April 2025, with values climbing from 32.56 million USD to 53.25 million USD, reflecting strong global demand or seasonal inventory builds typical for frozen seafood. However, May's sharp decline to 18.03 million USD introduces volatility, coinciding with the April 16, 2025 enactment of Decree 273/2025 to simplify used capital goods imports [Argentina Used Capital Goods Imports], which may signal industry adjustments in production or logistics. This shift could also stem from macro-economic factors like currency fluctuations or cyclical demand patterns in key markets.

Argentina Frozen Fish Fillets Export (HS 030474) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

According to yTrade data, in May 2025, Argentina's export of frozen hake fillets under HS Code 030474 is highly concentrated, with sub-code 03047400953 dominating over half of the value and quantity shares. This sub-code, for frozen hake fillets, has a unit price of about 3.01 USD per kilogram, aligning with the average, indicating it is the standard bulk product. A minor sub-code, 03047400211, with a unit price of approximately 5.02 USD per kilogram, represents less than 1% of value and is isolated as a potential high-grade anomaly.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The non-anomalous sub-codes fall into two groups: standard grade with unit prices around 3 USD per kilogram, such as 03047400954 and 03047400959, and slightly premium grade with unit prices up to 3.4 USD per kilogram, like 03047400955 and 03047400951. The identical product descriptions and tight price range suggest a market for fungible bulk commodities, where differences may stem from minor variations in cut or quality rather than significant value-add stages.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

For exporters, the commodity nature of Argentina's HS Code 030474 export limits individual pricing power, emphasizing competition on cost and volume. Strategic focus should prioritize efficiency in the bulk market, while the isolated high-price variant offers a niche opportunity. HS Code 030474 trade data shows that success depends on operational scale rather than product differentiation.

Check Detailed HS Code 030474 Breakdown

Argentina Frozen Fish Fillets Export (HS 030474) Destination Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

In May 2025, Argentina's exports of Frozen Fish Fillets were heavily concentrated, with Spain as the dominant destination, accounting for 32.64% of the total export value. Spain's value share closely matched its quantity share at 32.15%, indicating a balanced trade in standard-grade products without significant premium or bulk characteristics. Brazil followed with a 27.55% value share, also showing aligned value and quantity ratios, suggesting consistent demand patterns. The frequency of shipments was highest for Brazil at 28.79%, pointing to regular, high-volume trade flows for this perishable food item.

Destination Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The top destinations can be grouped into two clusters based on their trade profiles. The first cluster includes Spain and Brazil, with high value, quantity, and frequency shares, representing major markets with steady demand for Frozen Fish Fillets, likely driven by established supply chains and consumer preferences in these regions. The second cluster consists of countries like Russia, where the quantity share of 6.25% exceeds the value share of 4.60%, indicating a focus on bulk or lower-value variants, possibly for cost-sensitive segments or further processing. The United States shows a slight premium tendency with value share exceeding quantity share, suggesting some demand for higher-quality products.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

For Argentina's Frozen Fish Fillets exports, strategies should prioritize maintaining strong ties with high-volume markets like Spain and Brazil while exploring opportunities to increase value in premium segments such as the United States. Optimizing logistics for frequent shipments is crucial due to the perishable nature of the product, ensuring freshness and reducing waste. Supply chain efforts should focus on efficiency for bulk buyers like Russia to secure volume-driven revenue. Analysis of HS Code 030474 trade data supports these directions for sustained market performance.

Table: Argentina Frozen Fish Fillets (HS 030474) Top Destination Countries (Source: yTrade)

Get Complete Destination Countries Profile

Action Plan for Frozen Fish Fillets Market Operation and Expansion

• Prioritize bulk shipments to Spain and Brazil using hs code 030474 trade data to forecast demand, securing stable volume and revenue for Argentina's Frozen Fish Fillets Export.
• Target the U.S. market with the premium-grade sub-code (03047400211) identified in the data to capture higher margins and diversify the export portfolio beyond bulk commodities.
• Optimize the Frozen Fish Fillets supply chain for high-frequency shipments to Brazil to ensure product freshness, reduce spoilage, and maintain buyer satisfaction.
• Develop contingency plans for the Frozen Fish Fillets supply chain by monitoring geopolitical and logistical risks to key markets, ensuring export continuity for this perishable product.

Take Action Now —— Explore Argentina Frozen Fish Fillets Export Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in Argentina Frozen Fish Fillets Export 2025 May?

Argentina's exports of Frozen Fish Fillets dropped sharply to 18.03 million USD in May 2025 after consistent growth earlier in the year, likely due to industry adjustments from regulatory changes (Decree 273/2025) or macroeconomic factors like currency fluctuations.

Q2. Who are the main destination countries of Argentina Frozen Fish Fillets (HS Code 030474) 2025 May?

Spain (32.64% value share) and Brazil (27.55% value share) dominate as Argentina's top export markets, followed by Russia and the U.S., which show distinct bulk and premium demand patterns, respectively.

Q3. Why does the unit price differ across destination countries of Argentina Frozen Fish Fillets Export?

Price differences stem from product grades—standard bulk fillets (3 USD/kg) dominate, while rare high-grade variants (5.02 USD/kg) exist. The U.S. shows slight premium demand, whereas Russia focuses on lower-cost bulk shipments.

Q4. What should exporters in Argentina focus on in the current Frozen Fish Fillets export market?

Exporters should prioritize cost-efficient bulk production for Spain and Brazil, while exploring niche premium opportunities in markets like the U.S. Frequent shipments and logistics optimization are critical due to perishability.

Q5. What does this Argentina Frozen Fish Fillets export pattern mean for buyers in partner countries?

Buyers in Spain and Brazil benefit from stable, high-volume supply chains, while U.S. buyers access slightly premium products. Russian importers can leverage bulk-focused, cost-sensitive trade flows.

Q6. How is Frozen Fish Fillets typically used in this trade flow?

Frozen hake fillets are traded as fungible bulk commodities, primarily for food consumption, with minor price variations reflecting differences in cut or quality rather than significant value-added processing.