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

Argentina Grated Cheese Export (HS 040221) Key Takeaways

Argentina’s Grated Cheese exports under HS Code 040221 in March 2025 show a market dominated by high-value powdered variants, with sub-code 04022110900 capturing 90% of export value at $9.19/kg. Exports rebounded to 9.51 million kg, signaling supply chain recovery, while Brazil absorbed 46% of volume, highlighting reliance on bulk regional demand. Premium opportunities exist in Algeria and Peru, where value outpaces weight. This analysis, based on cleanly processed Customs data from the yTrade database, reflects March 2025 trade dynamics.

Argentina Grated Cheese Export (HS 040221) Background

What is HS Code 040221?

HS Code 040221 refers to Cheese, grated or powdered, a processed dairy product widely used in food manufacturing, retail, and foodservice industries. Its shelf stability and convenience drive consistent global demand, particularly in sectors like fast food, packaged meals, and snack production. This product category is a key indicator of dairy trade dynamics due to its value-added nature and cross-border trade volume.

Current Context and Strategic Position

While no recent trade policy shifts directly impact Argentina's Grated Cheese Export, macroeconomic factors like fluctuating dairy commodity prices and supply chain adjustments remain critical for hs code 040221 trade data. Argentina, as a leading dairy exporter in Latin America, holds strategic importance in meeting global demand, especially for cost-competitive grated cheese. Vigilance is essential to monitor shifts in trade flows, competitor pricing, and regional demand trends to maintain market positioning.

Argentina Grated Cheese Export (HS 040221) Price Trend

Key Observations

In March 2025, Argentina's grated cheese exports reached 82.22 million USD, with a unit price of 8.64 USD per kg, marking a steady performance in the early part of the year.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The Argentina Grated Cheese Export trend showed a rebound in March, with volume rising to 9.51 million kg after a February dip, suggesting recovery in supply chains or seasonal demand shifts. This hs code 040221 value trend likely reflects broader macro-economic factors like peso volatility or global dairy market cycles, rather than specific policy changes, driving the modest price increases from previous months.

Argentina Grated Cheese Export (HS 040221) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

In March 2025, Argentina's export under HS Code 040221 is overwhelmingly dominated by the sub-code 04022110900, which deals with concentrated milk and cream in powder or solid forms with over 1.5% fat content. According to yTrade data, this variant accounts for nearly 90% of the export value and over 80% of the weight, with a unit price of $9.19 per kg, significantly higher than other sub-codes. A minor variant, 04022120900, with only 2 shipments, is noted for its low frequency but is isolated from the main analysis due to its infrequency.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The non-dominant sub-codes fall into two clear groups based on unit price: a higher-priced cluster around $7.24 to $7.41 per kg, including 04022110190 and 04022120900, and a lower-priced cluster averaging $3.88 per kg, with 04022110000 and 04022110100. Despite identical product descriptions, the price gaps suggest differentiation possibly due to quality grades or processing nuances, moving away from fungible bulk commodities towards more value-added, manufactured goods in Argentina's HS Code 040221 export profile.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

This market structure indicates that Argentine exporters of higher-priced variants, especially 04022110900, hold considerable pricing power. Strategic focus should prioritize maintaining premium quality to leverage export margins, while analysis of HS Code 040221 trade data suggests opportunities for diversifying into higher-value segments to strengthen Argentina's export position.

Check Detailed HS Code 040221 Breakdown

Argentina Grated Cheese Export (HS 040221) Destination Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

BRAZIL is the dominant export destination for Argentina's Grated Cheese in March 2025, accounting for 46.22% of the value and 51.25% of the weight shipped. The value share is slightly lower than the weight share, indicating that exports to Brazil are volume-driven, likely involving bulk or lower-grade Grated Cheese. The frequency share is very high at 71.84%, suggesting frequent, small shipments, which is common for perishable goods like cheese to ensure freshness and quality.

Destination Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The export partners can be grouped into two main clusters based on share profiles. First, the High-Yield Cluster includes ALGERIA and PERU, where value shares exceed weight shares, pointing to demand for higher-quality or specialty Grated Cheese, possibly due to premium market preferences. Second, the Volume Cluster is led by BRAZIL, with high weight and value shares, indicating bulk exports for mass consumption or processing. Additionally, BRAZIL and PARAGUAY show relatively high frequency shares, reflecting frequent shipments that may be driven by geographic proximity and the need for regular supply chains to maintain product freshness in regional markets.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

To enhance Argentina's Grated Cheese export performance, focus on capturing high-margin opportunities in markets like Algeria and Peru by promoting premium product varieties. For bulk buyers like Brazil, optimize logistics to reduce costs and improve efficiency in shipping. The high frequency of shipments underscores the importance of reliable, just-in-time supply chains to support the perishable nature of cheese exports. Analyzing trade data for HS Code 040221 can help identify further trends and opportunities in these clusters.

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

Get Complete Destination Countries Profile

Action Plan for Grated Cheese Market Operation and Expansion

• Target premium markets like Algeria and Peru with higher-grade product variants from the Argentina Grated Cheese Export portfolio, because their value-over-weight ratios in hs code 040221 trade data indicate stronger margins for specialized offerings.
• Streamline logistics and shipping frequency for high-volume buyers like Brazil to cut costs in the Grated Cheese supply chain, as their frequent, bulk orders require efficient, just-in-time delivery to preserve product quality.
• Use hs code 040221 trade data to monitor and promote higher-priced sub-codes (e.g., 04022110900) to all markets, reinforcing Argentina’s pricing power and value-added export position in grated cheese.
• Implement quality-tracking and certification for export batches to justify price premiums and reduce negotiation friction, since unit price gaps in the data suggest that quality differentiation drives buyer willingness to pay.
• Develop a resilient Grated Cheese supply chain with backup logistics options to ensure consistent delivery, especially for perishable goods, minimizing disruptions and protecting Argentina’s export relationships.

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 March?

The rebound in volume to 9.51 million kg suggests recovery in supply chains or seasonal demand shifts, while the steady unit price of $8.64 per kg reflects broader macroeconomic factors like peso volatility or global dairy market cycles.

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

Brazil dominates with 46.22% of export value, followed by Algeria and Peru, which form a high-yield cluster with premium demand for higher-quality grated cheese.

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

Price gaps stem from product differentiation: the dominant sub-code (04022110900) commands $9.19/kg for high-fat concentrated milk powder, while lower-grade variants average $3.88/kg.

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

Prioritize premium-quality variants for high-margin markets like Algeria and Peru, while optimizing logistics for bulk shipments to Brazil to maintain cost efficiency.

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

Brazilian buyers benefit from frequent, volume-driven shipments, while Algerian and Peruvian buyers access higher-value specialty cheese, requiring reliable supply chains for freshness.

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

Exports are primarily concentrated milk powder (90% value share) for industrial or retail use, with bulk shipments likely destined for food processing or mass consumption.