Argentina Soybean Oilcake Export Market -- HS Code 2304 Trade Data & Price Trend (May 2025)

Argentina Soybean Oilcake Export (HS 2304) Key Takeaways

Argentina's soybean oilcake export (HS Code 2304) in May 2025 is dominated by a high-value pelletized variant, accounting for 97% of shipments, while export values plummeted to $731.43 million amid volatile market swings. Vietnam leads as the top bulk buyer with a stable 12.28% share, followed by Italy’s frequent smaller orders, but buyer concentration risks remain unclear due to incomplete data. This analysis, covering May 2025, is based on cleanly processed customs data from the yTrade database.

Argentina Soybean Oilcake Export (HS 2304) Background

What is HS Code 2304?

HS Code 2304 refers to soybean oilcake and other solid residues, whether ground or pelleted, resulting from soybean oil extraction. This product is a key byproduct of soybean processing, primarily used as high-protein animal feed in livestock and poultry industries. Global demand remains stable due to its cost-effectiveness and nutritional value, making it a critical commodity in agricultural trade.

Current Context and Strategic Position

Global commodity price volatility and shifting supply chain dynamics continue to influence soybean oilcake trade. Argentina, as a leading exporter of soybean oilcake under HS Code 2304, plays a pivotal role in meeting international demand, particularly from key markets in Asia and Europe. The country’s competitive production costs and robust soybean processing capacity reinforce its strategic position. Monitoring Argentina’s soybean oilcake export trends is essential for stakeholders navigating this high-volume trade flow.

Argentina Soybean Oilcake Export (HS 2304) Price Trend

Key Observations

Argentina's Soybean oilcake exports in May 2025 registered a value of 731.43 million USD, marking a sharp decline from previous months and reflecting heightened volatility in the market.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The Argentina Soybean oilcake Export trend through early 2025 shows significant fluctuations, with values dropping from 1.74 billion USD in January to 1.45 billion in March, then surging to 1.93 billion in April before the May contraction. This hs code 2304 value trend suggests underlying supply-demand imbalances, potentially driven by seasonal factors like post-harvest inventory adjustments in soybean processing and shifts in global animal feed demand. Without specific policy cues, currency volatility or competitive pressures in key import markets may have amplified these movements.

Argentina Soybean Oilcake Export (HS 2304) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

In May 2025, Argentina's export of soybean oilcake under HS Code 2304 is overwhelmingly dominated by a single product variant, indicating high market concentration. According to yTrade data, HS Code 23040010100, described as oil-cake and solid residues from soybean oil extraction, accounts for over 97% of export transactions and nearly 100% of both value and weight shares. This variant has a unit price of approximately 0.306 USD per kilogram, which is about 22% higher than the only other sub-code, suggesting it represents a specialized, higher-value form such as pelletized or processed residue for efficient trade.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The remaining sub-code, HS Code 23040090200, shares the same product description but has a lower unit price of around 0.250 USD per kilogram, indicating it may be a less processed or standard-grade variant. This structure points to a market where the product is primarily a fungible bulk commodity, traded based on weight and common quality benchmarks, but with clear differentiation in value-add stages. The price gap between the two variants highlights that even within a commodity market, minor processing or form changes can influence pricing, though the overall trade remains tied to bulk agricultural product indices.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

For Argentine exporters, this concentration grants significant pricing power for the dominant high-volume variant, allowing them to leverage scale and consistency in international markets. Strategic efforts should focus on maintaining the quality and cost-effectiveness of the premium grade to capitalize on its value advantage, while monitoring the minor variant for niche opportunities. Analysis of HS Code 2304 trade data confirms that exporters must prioritize operational efficiency and grade management to sustain competitiveness in a market driven by bulk commodity dynamics.

Table: Argentina HS Code 2304) Breakdown Details (Source: yTrade)

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Argentina Soybean Oilcake Export (HS 2304) Destination Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

Vietnam is the dominant destination for Argentina's Soybean oilcake exports in May 2025, taking a 12.28% share of the total export value. This leadership is notable because its value share is identical to its quantity share, indicating a stable, bulk-trade relationship without a strong premium price signal. Italy follows as the second-largest buyer by value, but its higher frequency of shipments (12.08% of total transactions) suggests a more fragmented, regular purchasing pattern compared to its value share of 9.02%.

Destination Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The export partners form two clear clusters. The first is a volume cluster, including Vietnam, Malaysia, Spain, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and Ecuador. These countries show closely aligned value and quantity shares, pointing to their role as bulk consumers of this commodity for animal feed or industrial use. The second is a transactional cluster, led by Italy and Iran, which have a significantly higher frequency share than their value share. This pattern implies more frequent, smaller shipments, likely to meet consistent demand from local feed mills or processors who operate on a just-in-time inventory model.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

For future growth, Argentina's Soybean oilcake export strategy should prioritize securing and expanding its bulk supply agreements with volume cluster partners like Vietnam and Malaysia, as they provide large, stable offtake. Simultaneously, the high shipment frequency to Italy represents an opportunity to optimize logistics for smaller, more regular consignments, potentially improving margins through reliable scheduling. With no specific trade news affecting the market, the focus remains on leveraging these existing trade flows for HS Code 2304.

Table: Argentina Soybean Oilcake (HS 2304) Top Destination Countries (Source: yTrade)

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Argentina Soybean Oilcake (HS 2304) Buyers Analysis

Buyer Market Concentration and Dominance

The market structure for Argentina Soybean oilcake Export buyers in May 2025 cannot be fully detailed due to incomplete data from yTrade on the four segments of buyers. Without specific value shares, the dominant cluster and typical trade patterns for hs code 2304 trade data remain undefined. This gap limits understanding of Argentina's export market concentration.

Strategic Buyer Clusters and Trade Role

For Argentina Soybean oilcake Export, the commercial persona of buyers is unclear without yTrade data. Generally, hs code 2304 buyer markets for commodities like soybean oilcake tend to be intermediated, involving traders or direct end-users, but specific cluster roles cannot be confirmed without the provided segmentation data.

Sales Strategy and Vulnerability

Without buyer cluster insights from yTrade, strategic focus for Argentina's export is vague. Given no specific trade news, risks and opportunities rely on general commodity market trends. Sales models should prepare for variability until data on the four buyer segments is available to guide decisions.

Check Full Soybean oilcake Buyer lists

Action Plan for Soybean Oilcake Market Operation and Expansion

• Focus on the premium-grade variant (HS Code 23040010100) to maintain its 22% price premium, as the Argentina Soybean oilcake Export market's value is concentrated there; this protects revenue by defending the quality advantage identified in the hs code 2304 trade data.
• Prioritize bulk supply agreements with volume-cluster countries like Vietnam and Malaysia, as their stable, large orders align value and quantity shares; this secures predictable offtake for the Soybean oilcake supply chain and maximizes operational efficiency.
• Optimize logistics for high-frequency buyers like Italy with smaller, regular shipments to meet their just-in-time needs; this builds reliable scheduling into the Soybean oilcake supply chain and improves margins by reducing idle capacity.
• Acquire detailed buyer segmentation data to identify specific commercial personas and trade patterns; this closes a critical gap in the hs code 2304 trade data and allows for targeted sales strategies that reduce market vulnerability.

Take Action Now —— Explore Argentina Soybean oilcake Export Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in Argentina Soybean oilcake Export 2025 May?

The sharp decline in export value to 731.43 million USD reflects heightened volatility, likely due to post-harvest inventory adjustments and shifts in global animal feed demand, compounded by currency or competitive pressures.

Q2. Who are the main destination countries of Argentina Soybean oilcake (HS Code 2304) 2025 May?

Vietnam dominates with a 12.28% share of export value, followed by Italy (9.02%), forming two distinct clusters: bulk-volume buyers (e.g., Malaysia, Spain) and high-frequency purchasers (e.g., Iran).

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

The price gap stems from product specialization—the premium variant (HS Code 23040010100) costs 22% more than the standard grade (HS Code 23040090200), reflecting differences in processing or form.

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

Exporters should prioritize maintaining quality and cost-efficiency for the dominant high-value variant while optimizing logistics for frequent, smaller shipments to transactional markets like Italy.

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

Bulk buyers (e.g., Vietnam) benefit from stable supply agreements, while high-frequency importers (e.g., Italy) gain reliability for just-in-time inventory needs, though both face price sensitivity tied to commodity dynamics.

Q6. How is Soybean oilcake typically used in this trade flow?

It is primarily traded as a bulk commodity for animal feed or industrial use, with minor variants reflecting value-add stages like pelletization for efficient transport.