Argentina Soya Beans Export Market -- HS Code 120190 Trade Data & Price Trend (May 2025)

Argentina Soya Beans Export (HS 120190) Key Takeaways

Argentina's Soya beans exports under HS Code 120190 in May 2025 were dominated by bulk commodity-grade shipments, with 99% concentrated in a single sub-code, reflecting minimal product differentiation. Export values surged earlier in the year but moderated post-harvest, maintaining strong momentum despite typical seasonal adjustments. China absorbed 92% of shipments, highlighting extreme buyer concentration, while Chile showed niche potential with frequent small-volume trades. This analysis, covering May 2025, is based on cleanly processed Customs data from the yTrade database.

Argentina Soya Beans Export (HS 120190) Background

What is HS Code 120190?

HS Code 120190 covers Soya beans, whether or not broken, a key agricultural commodity primarily used for animal feed, edible oil production, and biofuel. Global demand remains stable due to its versatility in food processing and industrial applications. Argentina is a major producer, making this HS code critical for tracking Argentina's Soya beans Export trends.

Current Context and Strategic Position

On April 16, 2025, Argentina enacted Decree 273/2025 to streamline imports of used capital goods, signaling broader trade policy adjustments that could indirectly impact agricultural exports [Trade.gov]. For hs code 120190 trade data, Argentina's role as a top global supplier underscores the need for vigilance in monitoring export volumes and pricing shifts. Any policy changes affecting logistics or input costs could influence competitiveness, making real-time analysis essential for stakeholders.

Argentina Soya Beans Export (HS 120190) Price Trend

Key Observations

In May 2025, Argentina's Soya beans exports registered a value of 462.71 million USD, reflecting robust activity despite a sequential decline from April's peak. This performance underscores the strength of the Argentina Soya beans Export trend during the typical harvest and export window.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The hs code 120190 value trend exhibited pronounced volatility from January to May 2025, with exports surging from 4.69 million USD in February to 609.58 million USD in April before moderating in May. This sequential growth aligns with Argentina's agricultural calendar, where the March-May harvest period typically accelerates shipment volumes and values. The decline in May likely reflects natural market adjustments post-harvest, influenced by global demand cycles and logistical factors rather than specific policy shifts, maintaining the overall upward momentum in early 2025.

Argentina Soya Beans Export (HS 120190) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

Argentina's export of HS Code 120190 in May 2025 is highly specialized, with sub-code 12019000190 for 'Soya beans; other than seed, whether or not broken' dominating the market. According to yTrade data, this sub-code accounts for over 99% of the export value and nearly all of the quantity share, indicating a concentrated trade flow focused on a single product variant.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The remaining sub-codes, such as 12019000110 and 12019000299, also describe 'Soya beans; other than seed, whether or not broken' but show much lower frequency and value shares. This structure suggests a market primarily dealing in fungible bulk commodities, with minor variations possibly related to quality grades or specific customer requirements, rather than significant value-add stages.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

For market players, the high concentration under Argentina's HS Code 120190 export implies limited pricing power, as trade is likely tied to global commodity indices. Strategic focus should remain on volume efficiency and cost management, rather than product differentiation, to compete effectively in this market.

Check Detailed HS Code 120190 Breakdown

Argentina Soya Beans Export (HS 120190) Destination Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

In May 2025, Argentina's Soya beans exports were heavily concentrated, with China Mainland dominating as the top destination. China accounted for 92.24% of the export value and 92.17% of the quantity, indicating a balanced trade flow for standard Soya beans without significant premium or low-end disparities. The frequency of shipments to China was 60.53%, which is lower than its value share, suggesting that exports to China involve fewer but larger bulk shipments, typical for commodity trade like Soya beans.

Destination Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The export partners for Argentina's Soya beans can be grouped into two main clusters based on share profiles. First, China forms a Volume Hub Cluster due to its overwhelming dominance in both value and quantity, reflecting its role as a major processor or consumer of bulk Soya beans for animal feed or oil production. Second, Chile represents a High-Frequency Cluster with a 28.07% frequency share but only 0.50% value share, indicating many small, frequent shipments that could stem from niche market demands or regional distribution hubs. Other countries like Iran, Russia, and Peru have minimal shares and low frequency, forming a Low-Volume Cluster with sporadic trade activity.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

For forward strategy, Argentina should prioritize maintaining strong ties with China to secure bulk Soya beans exports, while optimizing logistics for large shipments to reduce costs. The high frequency of shipments to Chile suggests potential in exploring smaller, fragmented markets for value-added products or direct retail channels. Supply chain efforts could focus on enhancing efficiency for bulk routes to China and investigating Chile's trade patterns for growth opportunities in high-frequency niches.

Table: Argentina Soya Beans (HS 120190) Top Destination Countries (Source: yTrade)

Get Complete Destination Countries Profile

Action Plan for Soya Beans Market Operation and Expansion

• Prioritize large-volume shipments to China using bulk carriers to reduce per-unit logistics costs, as the Argentina Soya beans Export market depends heavily on economies of scale for competitiveness.
• Analyze hs code 120190 trade data to identify niche buyers in high-frequency markets like Chile, enabling targeted marketing of smaller, specialized shipments for premium returns.
• Diversify export destinations gradually by engaging with low-volume partners to reduce over-reliance on China and mitigate geopolitical or demand-side risks in the Soya beans supply chain.
• Use shipment frequency and volume data to negotiate better freight and handling rates, improving margin control across the entire Argentina Soya beans Export operation.

Take Action Now —— Explore Argentina Soya beans Export Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in Argentina Soya beans Export 2025 May?

The sequential decline in May 2025 reflects natural post-harvest adjustments, following a surge in April tied to Argentina's agricultural calendar. Volatility is typical for bulk commodity trade linked to global demand cycles.

Q2. Who are the main destination countries of Argentina Soya beans (HS Code 120190) 2025 May?

China dominates with 92.24% of export value, followed by Chile (0.50%) and others like Iran and Russia with minimal shares.

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

Price differences stem from the market's focus on bulk commodity trade (sub-code 12019000190), where China's large shipments likely align with global indices, while smaller markets like Chile may involve niche premiums.

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

Prioritize cost-efficient bulk logistics for China and explore high-frequency niches like Chile, where smaller shipments indicate fragmented demand opportunities.

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

Chinese buyers benefit from stable bulk supply, while smaller markets like Chile may access tailored shipments but face limited volume scalability.

Q6. How is Soya beans typically used in this trade flow?

Exported Soya beans (HS Code 120190) are primarily fungible bulk commodities, likely processed into animal feed or oil in destination markets like China.