Argentina Sunflower-seed Oil Export Market -- HS Code 1512 Trade Data & Price Trend (Apr 2025)

Argentina Sunflower-seed Oil Export (HS 1512) Key Takeaways

Argentina's sunflower-seed oil exports under HS Code 1512 surged to $387.56 million in April 2025, driven by high-volume crude oil shipments (71% of value) at $2.15/kg, reflecting a commodity-driven market. India dominated as the top destination (35.88% of value), while Chile showed high-frequency, smaller-scale demand. Buyer concentration remains unclear due to data gaps, but the market’s sequential growth—despite a price dip to $2.01/kg—aligns with Argentina’s seasonal harvest cycle. This analysis, covering April 2025, is based on cleanly processed customs data from the yTrade database.

Argentina Sunflower-seed Oil Export (HS 1512) Background

What is HS Code 1512?

HS Code 1512 covers sunflower-seed, safflower, or cotton-seed oil and their fractions, whether refined or not, but not chemically modified. This product is widely used in food processing, cooking, and industrial applications due to its high smoke point and nutritional profile. Global demand remains stable, driven by its versatility in both consumer and manufacturing sectors.

Current Context and Strategic Position

The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (2025) Revision 5 reflects recent regulatory updates, signaling potential shifts in trade dynamics for edible oils [USITC]. Argentina, a leading exporter of sunflower-seed oil, plays a critical role in global supply chains, leveraging its robust agricultural sector. Monitoring Argentina's sunflower-seed oil export trends under HS Code 1512 is essential, as policy adjustments and market demand fluctuations could impact trade flows. Strategic vigilance is warranted to navigate this evolving landscape.

Argentina Sunflower-seed Oil Export (HS 1512) Price Trend

Key Observations

Argentina's sunflower-seed oil exports in April 2025 reached 387.56 million USD at a unit price of 2.01 USD/kg, reflecting robust growth in value despite a marginal price softening compared to earlier months.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The Argentina Sunflower-seed oil Export trend exhibited strong sequential momentum from January to April, with export value climbing from 105.48 million USD to 387.56 million USD, while unit prices declined from 2.39 USD/kg to 2.01 USD/kg amid a substantial volume expansion. This trajectory is consistent with the seasonal harvest cycle in Argentina, which typically peaks in the first half of the year, increasing supply and exerting downward pressure on prices. The USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule revision [USITC] in March likely contributed to this dynamic by adjusting trade policies, potentially enhancing market access or aligning with global demand fluctuations that supported the hs code 1512 value trend.

Argentina Sunflower-seed Oil Export (HS 1512) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

In April 2025, Argentina's export of HS Code 1512 is heavily concentrated in crude sunflower-seed oil, according to yTrade data. The sub-code for crude, not chemically modified oil (15121110919) dominates with over 71 percent of the total export value and 67 percent by weight, at a unit price of 2.15 USD per kilogram. This high volume and moderate price point indicate a strong specialization in bulk, unrefined products. Minor anomalies, such as entries with negligible quantities or missing unit prices, are isolated and do not affect the main analysis.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The remaining non-anomalous sub-codes fall into two clear categories based on processing stage: crude oils and refined or other processed oils. Crude oils, like those under sub-code 15121110911, command a slightly higher unit price of 2.44 USD per kilogram, suggesting some quality variation. Refined oils, such as those in sub-code 15121911000, show a wider price range from 1.12 to 2.72 USD per kilogram, indicating basic differentiation but overall a fungible, commodity-driven market where bulk trade aligns with global price indices rather than branded goods.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

For players in Argentina's HS Code 1512 export market, pricing power resides with high-volume crude oil producers due to economies of scale. Exporters should focus on cost efficiency and volume to compete, while importers can leverage the commodity nature for predictable sourcing. Analyzing HS Code 1512 trade data reveals opportunities in niche, higher-priced refined segments, but the bulk trade demands attention to global supply chains and price fluctuations.

Table: Argentina HS Code 1512) Breakdown Details (Source: yTrade)

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Argentina Sunflower-seed Oil Export (HS 1512) Destination Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

India is the dominant destination for Argentina's sunflower-seed oil exports in April 2025, accounting for 35.88% of the total export value. The value share closely matches the weight share at 35.48%, indicating that shipments to India have an average unit price around the overall mean. Chile shows a high frequency share of 40.15% but lower value and weight shares, pointing to small, regular shipments rather than bulk trade.

Destination Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The top destinations form two main clusters based on trade patterns. India and Iraq make up the high-value cluster, with combined value shares over 57%, driven by demand for standard or slightly premium sunflower-seed oil. Chile stands out as a high-frequency cluster, with its disproportionate shipment frequency suggesting regular, smaller-scale purchases, likely for direct retail or fresh supply chains in the food sector. Other countries like the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia show moderate shares with value exceeding weight, indicating consistent demand for quality variants.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

Argentina should prioritize maintaining strong ties with high-value markets like India and Iraq to sustain revenue from sunflower-seed oil exports under HS Code 1512. For Chile, optimizing logistics for frequent, smaller shipments can reduce costs and enhance reliability. The recent US tariff schedule revision [USITC] from March 2025 did not specifically impact sunflower-seed oil trade flows, so current strategies remain focused on existing partner profiles without major shifts.

Table: Argentina Sunflower-seed Oil (HS 1512) Top Destination Countries (Source: yTrade)

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Argentina Sunflower-seed Oil (HS 1512) Buyers Analysis

Buyer Market Concentration and Dominance

The market structure for Argentina Sunflower-seed oil Export buyers in April 2025 cannot be determined from the provided data. According to yTrade data, the specific breakdown of the four segments of buyers by value and frequency is missing. This prevents identification of the dominant cluster or the typical trade profile for this period.

Strategic Buyer Clusters and Trade Role

Without the buyer segmentation data, the commercial persona of key importers for hs code 1512 trade data remains unclear. The profile of HS code 1512 buyers, whether they are large trading firms, direct end-users, or other entities, cannot be analyzed. This gap also means the market's character—be it intermediated, state-controlled, or direct-to-factory—cannot be defined for Argentina's sunflower-seed oil exports.

Sales Strategy and Vulnerability

The absence of buyer cluster information limits strategic guidance for Argentine exporters. Key risks and opportunities related to customer concentration or diversification cannot be assessed. The provided news context regarding U.S. tariff schedules [USITC] does not directly impact Argentina's sunflower oil export strategy, as it focuses on U.S. import regulations rather than buyer behavior or market access for this product.

Check Full Sunflower-seed oil Buyer lists

Action Plan for Sunflower-seed Oil Market Operation and Expansion

• Prioritize volume-based contracts with high-value markets like India and Iraq using hs code 1512 trade data to identify bulk buyers, as this secures stable revenue for the Argentina Sunflower-seed oil Export market.
• Optimize logistics for frequent, smaller shipments to Chile by analyzing shipment frequency data, which reduces per-unit costs and strengthens reliability within the Sunflower-seed oil supply chain.
• Monitor and segment exports by oil grade (crude vs. refined) to target buyers paying price premiums, as this directly increases profit margins for Argentina's Sunflower-seed oil Export operations.
• Diversify export destinations by tracking emerging import trends in the hs code 1512 trade data, mitigating risk from over-reliance on a few key markets and ensuring supply chain resilience.

Take Action Now —— Explore Argentina Sunflower-seed oil Export Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in Argentina Sunflower-seed oil Export 2025 April?

Argentina's sunflower-seed oil exports surged to 387.56 million USD in April 2025, driven by seasonal harvest peaks that increased supply and softened unit prices to 2.01 USD/kg. The growth reflects strong demand in key markets like India and Iraq, despite the commodity-driven price decline.

Q2. Who are the main destination countries of Argentina Sunflower-seed oil (HS Code 1512) 2025 April?

India dominates with 35.88% of export value, followed by Iraq (21.12%) and Chile, which accounts for 40.15% of shipment frequency but smaller volumes. These three markets shape Argentina's trade flow.

Q3. Why does the unit price differ across destination countries of Argentina Sunflower-seed oil Export?

Price differences stem from product grades: crude sunflower-seed oil (e.g., sub-code 15121110919) trades at 2.15 USD/kg, while refined variants (e.g., 15121911000) range from 1.12 to 2.72 USD/kg, reflecting processing levels and quality.

Q4. What should exporters in Argentina focus on in the current Sunflower-seed oil export market?

Exporters should prioritize cost-efficient bulk production of crude oils to leverage economies of scale, while exploring niche refined segments for higher margins. Maintaining ties with high-value markets like India is critical.

Q5. What does this Argentina Sunflower-seed oil export pattern mean for buyers in partner countries?

Buyers in India and Iraq benefit from stable bulk supply at moderate prices, while Chilean importers gain from frequent, smaller shipments suited for retail or fresh supply chains. The commodity nature ensures predictable sourcing.

Q6. How is Sunflower-seed oil typically used in this trade flow?

The bulk trade focuses on crude sunflower-seed oil for industrial food processing or further refining, while smaller refined batches cater to direct retail or premium food-sector demand.