Argentina Grated Cheese Export Market -- HS Code 040221 Trade Data & Price Trend (Feb 2025)

Argentina Grated Cheese Export (HS 040221) Key Takeaways

Argentina's grated cheese exports (HS Code 040221) in February 2025 reveal a premium-driven market, with high-fat milk powder dominating exports at $9.02/kg—far outpacing lower-grade variants. Despite a sequential decline in volume and value from January, unit prices rose, signaling tighter supply or a strategic shift toward higher-value products. Brazil absorbs 81.5% of export volume but pays lower prices, while Algeria and Venezuela drive premium demand with higher margins. This analysis, covering February 2025, is based on processed customs data from the yTrade database. Exporters must balance bulk shipments to Brazil with premium-focused strategies in high-yield markets to maximize returns.

Argentina Grated Cheese Export (HS 040221) Background

What is HS Code 040221?

HS Code 040221 refers to Cheese, grated or powdered, a product widely used in food processing, retail, and foodservice sectors. Its global demand remains stable due to its versatility in culinary applications, from packaged foods to restaurant dishes. Argentina's grated cheese export is particularly notable for its quality and competitive pricing in international markets.

Current Context and Strategic Position

Argentina's export policies, including a 5% duty on services and up to 15% on certain goods (Santander Trade), directly impact trade flows for HS Code 040221. The Argentine Food Code, enforced under Decree 141/53, ensures compliance for all food exports (AGLaw), adding regulatory scrutiny. Argentina's strategic position in the grated cheese trade is bolstered by its dairy sector's efficiency, but market vigilance is essential given shifting export duties and global competition. Tracking hs code 040221 trade data is critical for stakeholders navigating these dynamics.

Argentina Grated Cheese Export (HS 040221) Price Trend

Key Observations

Argentina's Grated Cheese exports in February 2025 reached $77.81 million USD at a unit price of $8.59 per kg, marking a decrease in total value from January's $82.70 million.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The Argentina Grated Cheese Export trend showed a sequential decline in both value and volume from January to February, with weight falling from 10.03 million kg to 9.06 million kg. Despite this, the unit price increased, suggesting tighter supply or higher quality focus. This shift may be partly due to export duties of up to 15% on products like cheese [Santander Trade], which can elevate costs and reduce export volumes. The hs code 040221 value trend indicates early 2025 adjustments, possibly reflecting broader market responses to policy changes.

Argentina Grated Cheese Export (HS 040221) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

Argentina's export of HS Code 040221 in February 2025 is highly concentrated. According to yTrade data, one product type dominates, accounting for over 92% of the total export value. This is high-fat milk powder (exceeding 1.5% fat content) in solid form, which commands a significantly higher unit price of $9.02 per kilogram, compared to other shipments.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The trade data shows a clear two-tier structure based on product grade. The vast majority of exports are a higher-value, fat-rich powder. A smaller segment consists of a similar product but at a lower price point of $5.47 per kilogram. This structure points to a market dealing in differentiated goods where fat content is a key determinant of value, rather than a market for a single, fungible bulk commodity.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

This analysis of HS Code 040221 trade data indicates strong pricing power for exporters of the premium, high-fat product. For Argentina, the strategic focus should be on maintaining and marketing this quality differentiation to protect its value share. Importers should recognize that this is a graded market, where price is directly linked to the product's fat content specification.

Check Detailed HS Code 040221 Breakdown

Argentina Grated Cheese Export (HS 040221) Destination Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

Brazil is the dominant destination for Argentina's grated cheese exports in February 2025, receiving 81.53% of the total weight. However, its 48.44% share of the total export value is significantly lower than its weight share. This gap indicates Brazil primarily imports lower-value, bulk shipments of this product. Algeria is the second largest partner by value, accounting for 36.53% of export earnings from just 14.83% of the weight, signaling a strong demand for higher-grade or premium-priced grated cheese.

Destination Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The data reveals two distinct clusters among Argentina's grated cheese buyers. Brazil forms a clear Volume Cluster, characterized by massive bulk purchases that drive overall export tonnage but at a lower average unit price. A High-Yield Cluster includes Algeria, Venezuela, and Niger. These partners generate substantial value from relatively small physical volumes, pointing to trade in premium, high-margin product variants. The remaining countries, including Chile and the UAE, represent a minor transactional cluster with sporadic, lower-volume purchases.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

For Argentina's grated cheese export strategy, the priority should be a dual approach. The high-volume trade with Brazil requires optimized logistics and cost-effective shipping methods for bulk containers to protect margins. Concurrently, commercial efforts should focus on expanding the high-value trade with partners like Algeria and Venezuela by promoting premium product attributes. This balances stable revenue from a large-volume neighbor with higher profitability from niche, quality-focused markets.

Table: Argentina Grated Cheese (HS 040221) Top Destination Countries (Source: yTrade)

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Action Plan for Grated Cheese Market Operation and Expansion

• Segment buyers by product grade using hs code 040221 trade data to target premium markets like Algeria with high-fat powder, maximizing value per shipment of Argentina Grated Cheese Export.
• Optimize the Grated Cheese supply chain for bulk shipments to Brazil using cost-effective logistics, protecting margins on high-volume, lower-margin trade.
• Use buyer frequency data to identify and secure long-term contracts with consistent high-value importers, ensuring stable revenue for Argentina's Grated Cheese Export operations.
• Diversify export destinations by targeting new markets with similar demand profiles to Algeria, reducing over-reliance on any single partner and strengthening overall trade resilience.

Take Action Now —— Explore Argentina Grated Cheese Export Data

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Argentina's grated cheese exports declined in value and volume from January to February 2025, but unit prices rose. This suggests tighter supply or a shift toward higher-quality products, potentially influenced by export duties of up to 15%.

Q2. Who are the main destination countries of Argentina Grated Cheese (HS Code 040221) 2025 February?

Brazil dominates with 81.53% of export weight but only 48.44% of value, while Algeria accounts for 36.53% of value from just 14.83% of weight. Venezuela and Niger also form part of the high-value cluster.

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

Price differences stem from product grade—high-fat milk powder (over 1.5% fat) commands $9.02/kg, while lower-fat variants sell at $5.47/kg. Brazil buys bulk lower-value shipments, whereas Algeria and others prioritize premium grades.

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

Exporters should optimize bulk logistics for Brazil to protect margins while expanding premium sales to high-value markets like Algeria and Venezuela by emphasizing quality differentiation.

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

Brazilian buyers benefit from cost-effective bulk supply, while high-value partners like Algeria access premium products at higher margins. Buyers must align purchases with fat-content specifications to match pricing tiers.

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

Grated cheese is primarily traded as a differentiated food ingredient, with high-fat variants used in premium culinary applications and lower-fat grades for bulk manufacturing or processed foods.