Argentina Natural Honey Export Market -- HS Code 040900 Trade Data & Price Trend (May 2025)

Argentina Natural Honey Export (HS 040900) Key Takeaways

Argentina's natural honey exports under HS Code 040900 are dominated by bulk-grade honey, with the US absorbing nearly 60% of shipments, signaling high buyer concentration risk. May 2025 saw a sharp 50% drop in export value to $24.24 million, likely due to new antidumping duties disrupting post-harvest momentum. The market lacks product differentiation, with 99% of volume trading at a flat $2.50/kg, leaving exporters vulnerable to price volatility. This analysis covers May 2025 and is based on cleanly processed Customs data from the yTrade database.

Argentina Natural Honey Export (HS 040900) Background

What is HS Code 040900?

HS Code 040900 refers to natural honey, a globally traded agricultural product primarily used in food and beverage industries, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Its demand remains stable due to its natural sweetening properties and perceived health benefits. Argentina is a key producer, with its honey exports often meeting stringent international quality standards.

Current Context and Strategic Position

The U.S. Department of Commerce recently finalized the antidumping duty (AD) administrative review for raw honey from Argentina, covering the 2021-2023 period [Federal Register]. This underscores the regulatory scrutiny facing Argentina's natural honey exports, a critical trade flow under HS Code 040900. Argentina’s strategic position as a top global honey exporter makes it vulnerable to trade policy shifts, necessitating close monitoring of hs code 040900 trade data to assess market stability and competitiveness.

Argentina Natural Honey Export (HS 040900) Price Trend

Key Observations

In May 2025, Argentina's natural honey exports reached 24.24 million USD, representing a sharp decline from the robust performance in April. This drop interrupts a period of sustained growth observed earlier in the year, highlighting increased market volatility.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The Argentina Natural Honey Export trend demonstrated strong sequential growth from January to April 2025, with export values climbing from 21.27 million USD to 48.18 million USD. This upward momentum likely reflected typical post-harvest shipment cycles and inventory releases following the Southern Hemisphere summer. However, the steep fall in May to 24.24 million USD coincides with the finalization of antidumping duty measures, as detailed in the [Federal Register], which may have prompted buyers to adjust procurement strategies ahead of regulatory clarity. The hs code 040900 value trend now shows a cautious market posture, with trade flows responding to both seasonal patterns and policy developments.

Argentina Natural Honey Export (HS 040900) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

In May 2025, Argentina's export of natural honey under HS Code 040900 is overwhelmingly concentrated in sub-code 04090000911, which handles nearly all the volume and value. According to yTrade data, this sub-code, described as "Honey; natural", has a unit price of approximately 2.50 USD per kilogram, reinforcing its role as the primary bulk export. A notable anomaly is sub-code 04090000190, with a unit price around 37.61 USD per kilogram, indicating a high-value product that is excluded from the main analysis due to its outlier nature.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The remaining non-anomalous sub-codes, including 04090000911 and a smaller code 04090000999, both share the "Honey; natural" description and have unit prices close to 2.50 USD per kilogram, suggesting a uniform bulk commodity trade. This lack of differentiation in grade or form points to a market structure centered on fungible goods, where exports are tied to standard quality and compete primarily on price rather than value-added features.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

For market players, the high concentration in bulk honey under Argentina's HS Code 040900 export means limited pricing power, necessitating a focus on operational efficiency and volume-based strategies. The anomaly hints at niche opportunities, but the overall HS Code 040900 trade data confirms a commodity-driven approach, where success depends on aligning with global market prices rather than differentiation.

Check Detailed HS Code 040900 Breakdown

Argentina Natural Honey Export (HS 040900) Destination Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

Argentina's Natural Honey exports in May 2025 were highly concentrated, with the United States as the dominant destination. The US accounted for 58.76% of the export value and 57.43% of the quantity, with a high frequency share of 53.79%, indicating steady, large-volume trade. The close alignment between value and quantity shares suggests balanced trade in terms of honey grades, without strong premium or bulk biases for the US market. Germany followed as a secondary major partner, with similar proportional shares.

Destination Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The export partners can be grouped into clusters based on trade patterns. The Volume Cluster includes the US and Germany, with high value and quantity shares, reflecting bulk consumption markets for honey. The High-Value Cluster features Belgium, where the value share (1.84%) significantly exceeds the quantity share (0.22%), indicating exports of premium, higher-priced honey variants. The Transactional Cluster includes Indonesia, with a frequency share (1.81%) higher than its value share (0.95%), suggesting more frequent, possibly smaller shipments, which could relate to retail or regional distribution needs for honey.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

To enhance returns, Argentina should prioritize high-value markets like Belgium by focusing on premium honey grades. For volume markets like the US and Germany, optimizing logistics for cost-effective bulk shipments is key. The recent antidumping duties on raw honey from Argentina, as reported in the Federal Register, could increase export costs to the US, potentially necessitating diversification to other markets or adjustments in pricing strategies for HS Code 040900 trade.

Table: Argentina Natural Honey (HS 040900) Top Destination Countries (Source: yTrade)

Get Complete Destination Countries Profile

Action Plan for Natural Honey Market Operation and Expansion

• Analyze hs code 040900 trade data to identify and target buyers in high-value markets like Belgium, shifting focus from bulk to premium grades to increase profit margins for the Argentina Natural Honey Export.
• Diversify export destinations using trade data to reduce dependency on the US market, mitigating risk from potential antidumping duties and ensuring supply security for the Natural Honey supply chain.
• Optimize logistics for high-volume shipments to major partners like Germany, consolidating freight to lower per-unit costs and maintain competitiveness in bulk commodity trade.
• Investigate the high-value anomaly within the hs code 040900 trade data (sub-code 04090000190) to develop a niche product line, creating a new revenue stream separate from the standard bulk market.
• Use buyer frequency data to anticipate demand cycles from transactional partners like Indonesia, aligning production and shipment schedules to prevent inventory overstock and improve cash flow.

Take Action Now —— Explore Argentina Natural Honey Export Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in Argentina Natural Honey Export 2025 May?

The sharp decline in May 2025 exports to 24.24 million USD reflects market volatility, likely due to the finalization of antidumping duties in the US, disrupting earlier growth trends from January to April.

Q2. Who are the main destination countries of Argentina Natural Honey (HS Code 040900) 2025 May?

The US dominated with 58.76% of export value, followed by Germany, while Belgium stood out as a high-value niche market with a significant price premium.

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

Most exports are bulk-grade honey (sub-code 04090000911) priced at ~2.50 USD/kg, but rare high-value variants like sub-code 04090000190 (~37.61 USD/kg) skew prices in markets like Belgium.

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

Prioritize premium honey for high-value markets (e.g., Belgium) and optimize bulk logistics for the US/Germany, while diversifying to mitigate US antidumping duty risks.

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

US and German buyers benefit from stable bulk supply, while Belgian buyers access premium products. However, US buyers may face higher costs due to new trade barriers.

Q6. How is Natural Honey typically used in this trade flow?

Argentina’s exports are primarily bulk-grade honey (HS 04090000911), traded as a fungible commodity for mass consumption or industrial use, with minimal value-added processing.