Argentina Groundnuts Export Market -- HS Code 1202 Trade Data & Price Trend (Jan 2025)

Argentina Groundnuts Export (HS 1202) Key Takeaways

Argentina's groundnuts export under HS Code 1202 opened 2025 strongly with $266.35 million in January, driven by bulk shipments of shelled, uncooked ground-nuts, split into standard and premium grades. The Netherlands dominates as the top destination, absorbing nearly half of exports, while Russia and France show premium demand. Buyers are concentrated among large, regular intermediaries, creating reliance risks but efficient trade flows. This analysis covers January 2025 and is based on cleanly processed customs data from the yTrade database.

Argentina Groundnuts Export (HS 1202) Background

What is HS Code 1202?

HS Code 1202 covers ground-nuts, not roasted or otherwise cooked, whether or not shelled or broken. This product is a staple in food processing, animal feed, and oil production, driving consistent global demand due to its versatility and nutritional value. Argentina’s export of groundnuts under this code is particularly significant for its role in supplying raw materials to these industries.

Current Context and Strategic Position

In January 2025, Argentina’s groundnuts export under HS Code 1202 operates within a framework of updated Mercosur-aligned tariff codes and strict compliance requirements [FreightAmigo]. While temporary duty reductions in late 2025 applied to other grains, groundnuts faced specific export quotas, such as a 3,650-ton tariff quota for peanut paste to the U.S. [Aduana News]. Argentina’s strategic position as a key exporter is underscored by a 222.2% year-on-year surge in groundnut shipments in April 2025, reflecting strong market demand [Volza]. Vigilance in hs code 1202 trade data tracking is essential to navigate these evolving policies and capitalize on emerging opportunities.

Argentina Groundnuts Export (HS 1202) Price Trend

Key Observations

Argentina's groundnuts exports under HS code 1202 opened 2025 strongly, with total value reaching $266.35 million in January. This robust start reflects both underlying commodity demand and strategic trade positioning ahead of key policy implementations.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The Argentina Groundnuts Export trend shows a solid opening month, building on momentum from late 2024 when export quotas for 2025 were initially allocated. While only January data is available, the high value suggests exporters were actively shipping ahead of anticipated demand cycles, particularly for value-added products like peanut paste. The hs code 1202 value trend indicates that shippers prioritized high-value consignments early in the year, likely to capitalize on allocated tariff quotas and avoid potential logistical bottlenecks later.

External Context and Outlook

This performance was supported by the confirmation of a 3,650-ton peanut paste tariff quota for exports to the United States [Aduana News], announced in December 2024. This allocation provided clarity and incentive for early-year shipments. Additionally, Argentina’s alignment with Mercosur’s harmonized tariff nomenclature (Aduana News) ensured smoother customs processing for compliant exporters. Looking ahead, maintaining this export pace will depend on sustained international demand and the absence of disruptive trade policy changes.

Argentina Groundnuts Export (HS 1202) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

In January 2025, Argentina's export of HS Code 1202 was dominated by shelled, uncooked ground-nuts, according to yTrade data. The primary product, accounting for over 40% of both export value and weight, is shelled ground-nuts not roasted or cooked, with a unit price of 4.03 US dollars per kilogram. An outlier exists for in-shell ground-nuts, which represents a minimal share with a much lower unit price of 0.80 US dollars per kilogram; this anomaly is isolated from the main analysis due to its insignificant volume.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The non-anomalous exports under Argentina HS Code 1202 Export are all shelled ground-nuts, but they split into two clear groups based on unit price, which ranges from 3.03 to 5.22 US dollars per kilogram. This suggests a structure with standard-grade products at lower price points and a small premium-grade segment at higher prices, indicating some quality differentiation rather than a purely fungible commodity trade. Analyzing HS Code 1202 trade data shows that while the product is largely bulk agricultural, the price variations point to modest value-add through grading.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

For market players, the grade-based differentiation in Argentina's HS Code 1202 exports implies limited pricing power, as prices are still influenced by global commodity markets. Strategic focus should be on enhancing quality to access premium segments, but overall, the market remains competitive with thin margins due to its commodity nature.

Check Detailed HS Code 1202 Breakdown

Argentina Groundnuts Export (HS 1202) Destination Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

In January 2025, the Netherlands was the dominant destination for Argentina's groundnuts exports, holding a 45.43% value share and a 45.38% weight share. The nearly identical value and weight shares indicate that shipments to the Netherlands consist of standard, bulk groundnuts without significant value addition. The frequency share of 33.75% is lower than the value share, pointing to larger, less frequent shipments typical for commodity trade like raw agricultural products.

Destination Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The top destinations can be grouped into two clusters based on share profiles. The Balanced Cluster includes the United Kingdom, Poland, Spain, Belgium, and Turkey, where value and weight shares are closely aligned, suggesting consistent trade in bulk groundnuts for general consumption or processing. The Premium Cluster comprises Russia, France, and Australia, where value shares exceed weight shares (e.g., Russia: 6.64% value vs. 5.10% weight), indicating demand for higher-quality or processed variants of groundnuts, possibly due to specific market preferences or niche applications.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

To enhance export earnings, Argentina should focus on the Premium Cluster markets like Russia and France by promoting higher-grade groundnuts to capture better margins. For the Balanced Cluster, optimizing logistics for bulk shipments to hubs like the Netherlands can reduce costs and maintain competitiveness. Analyzing HS Code 1202 trade data shows that European markets dominate, so diversifying or increasing value-added products could leverage existing trade routes efficiently.

Table: Argentina Groundnuts (HS 1202) Top Destination Countries (Source: yTrade)

Get Complete Destination Countries Profile

Argentina Groundnuts (HS 1202) Buyers Analysis

Buyer Market Concentration and Dominance

According to yTrade data, the Argentina Groundnuts Export buyers market for January 2025 is structured into four segments based on order value and frequency. The dominant group consists of buyers who place large, regular orders. This group defines the typical trade flow for hs code 1202 trade data, representing the core volume and value drivers for Argentina's groundnut exports during this period.

Strategic Buyer Clusters and Trade Role

The profile of the dominant hs code 1202 buyer group points to an intermediated market, likely involving trading companies and agents who manage bulk shipments. The remaining buyer segments include those placing large but infrequent orders, smaller regular purchasers, and occasional small buyers. This structure suggests that Argentina's Groundnuts Export trade is channeled through specialized intermediaries who consolidate demand and manage logistics, rather than being dominated by direct sales to end-users or state-controlled entities.

Sales Strategy and Vulnerability

For Argentine exporters, the buyer structure requires a focus on reliable, high-volume relationships with trading intermediaries. The risk lies in over-reliance on a few key players, while the opportunity is in expanding the base of regular smaller buyers. Argentina's export policy for groundnuts, including specific tariff quotas for products like peanut paste to the US [Aduana News], supports this agent-driven model. Exporters must ensure strict compliance with Mercosur-aligned HS codes [FreightAmigo] to avoid delays and leverage quota allocations effectively.

Check Full Groundnuts Buyer lists

Action Plan for Groundnuts Market Operation and Expansion

Strategic Supply Chain Overview

The Argentina Groundnuts Export market is a bulk commodity trade. Price is driven by product grade and global market indices. The hs code 1202 trade data shows a clear split between standard and premium shelled nuts. This creates a narrow price band.

The Groundnuts supply chain is intermediated and concentrated. Large trading agents in Europe dominate purchases. This structure prioritizes volume and logistics efficiency over direct end-user relationships. Argentina acts as a reliable supply origin within this system. The core risk is over-reliance on a few bulk buyers.

Action Plan: Data-Driven Steps for Groundnuts Market Execution and Expansion

• Target buyers from premium markets like Russia and France using hs code 1202 trade data. This allows you to negotiate better prices for higher-grade products and directly increases profit margins.
• Monitor the order frequency of your top five buyers to anticipate demand shifts. This prevents inventory overstock or shortages and ensures stable cash flow for your operations.
• Diversify your buyer portfolio by identifying new, smaller regular importers in balanced cluster countries. This reduces vulnerability to demand drops from any single large client and builds a more resilient export business.
• Audit all export documentation against Mercosur-aligned HS codes before shipment. This avoids costly customs delays and ensures you qualify for specific tariff quotas, protecting your market access.

Take Action Now —— Explore Argentina Groundnuts Export Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in Argentina Groundnuts Export 2025 January?

Argentina's groundnut exports opened strongly in January 2025, reaching $266.35 million, driven by early shipments to capitalize on allocated tariff quotas and avoid potential logistical bottlenecks later in the year.

Q2. Who are the main destination countries of Argentina Groundnuts (HS Code 1202) 2025 January?

The Netherlands dominated with a 45.43% value share, followed by the UK, Poland, Spain, Belgium, and Turkey, which form a balanced bulk trade cluster, while Russia, France, and Australia represent a premium segment.

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

Price differences stem from product grading, with standard shelled groundnuts trading at $3.03–$5.22/kg, while premium markets like Russia and France command higher prices for quality-differentiated variants.

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

Exporters should prioritize high-volume relationships with trading intermediaries while expanding into premium markets (e.g., Russia, France) to capture better margins through quality differentiation.

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

Buyers in the Netherlands and balanced cluster benefit from stable bulk supply, while premium-market buyers face higher costs for specialized grades but gain access to higher-quality products.

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

Argentina’s HS Code 1202 exports are primarily shelled, uncooked groundnuts traded as bulk agricultural commodities, with minor premium segments for higher-grade or processed variants.