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

Argentina Sunflower Seed Oil Export (HS 1512) Key Takeaways

Argentina's sunflower seed oil exports under HS Code 1512 in June 2025 reveal a premium-driven market, with high-value crude and refined grades dominating trade, particularly to India, which accounts for 47% of export value despite lower quantity shares. The market rebounded to $187.39 million after a volatile first half, reflecting post-harvest cycles and tariff adjustments. Buyer concentration is high, with frequent high-value traders driving most transactions, posing both stability and reliance risks. This analysis, covering June 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 unrefined, 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 adjustments impacting trade classifications [USITC], underscoring the need for exporters to monitor regulatory updates. Argentina's sunflower seed oil export is strategically significant, as the country ranks among the top global producers, leveraging its agricultural capacity to meet international demand. With shifting trade policies and competitive pricing, maintaining vigilance on hs code 1512 trade data is critical for market positioning. Argentina's export strength in this sector highlights its role as a key supplier in the global edible oils market.

Argentina Sunflower Seed Oil Export (HS 1512) Price Trend

Key Observations

Argentina's Sunflower Seed Oil export trend for June 2025 closed at 187.39 million USD, marking a sequential rebound from May's performance. This recovery aligns with broader shifts in global vegetable oil demand and supply chain adjustments following the peak export period.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The hs code 1512 value trend exhibited significant volatility in the first half of 2025, with exports surging from 105.48 million USD in January to a high of 387.56 million USD in April, before a sharp contraction in May. This pattern reflects typical post-harvest export cycles for sunflower oil, where Argentine shipments often peak around harvest time in early Q2. The March 2025 revision to the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule [U.S. International Trade Commission] likely introduced additional uncertainty, contributing to the May dip and June's partial recovery as markets adapted to potential duty changes. The overall momentum suggests exporters are navigating both seasonal rhythms and policy-driven adjustments.

Argentina Sunflower Seed Oil Export (HS 1512) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

In June 2025, Argentina's export of sunflower seed oil under HS Code 1512 is heavily concentrated in a high-value crude grade, according to yTrade data. The dominating sub-code, 15121110919 for crude sunflower seed oil not chemically modified, accounts for over 77% of the export value but only about 10% of the quantity, indicating a unit price approximately seven times higher than the average. An extreme price anomaly is present with sub-code 15121911000, which has a very low unit price due to its high quantity share (over 50%) and low value share (just over 6%), and it is isolated from the main analysis pool.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The remaining sub-codes fall into two clear categories based on value-add stage: crude sunflower oils and refined sunflower oils. The crude oils, such as 15121110911, show high unit prices, pointing to premium quality grades. The refined oils, like 15121919110, also exhibit high value per unit, suggesting advanced processing and differentiation. This structure indicates a trade in differentiated manufactured goods rather than fungible bulk commodities, with pricing driven by refinement level and quality specifications.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

Exporters have strong pricing power through product differentiation, with focus areas in high-value crude and refined oils. Importers should prioritize quality assessment to avoid low-grade segments. The analysis of HS Code 1512 trade data shows that Argentina's export under this code is not a homogeneous market, enabling strategic emphasis on premium products for better margins.

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

In June 2025, India was the top destination for Argentina's sunflower seed oil exports, holding a 47.13% share of the total export value. This dominance is marked by a large gap between value and quantity shares: India's value share is 47.13%, while its quantity share is only 6.40%. This difference points to strong demand for higher-grade or refined sunflower seed oil from India, as buyers pay more per unit. Other key markets like Iraq and Australia show similar patterns, with value shares exceeding quantity shares, suggesting a trend toward premium products in these regions for HS Code 1512 trade.

Destination Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The export partners split into two main groups based on trade patterns. First, a high-yield cluster includes India, Iraq, Australia, the United States, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, and Malaysia. In these countries, value shares are higher than quantity shares, indicating imports of premium, refined sunflower seed oil, likely for retail or culinary use. Second, a volume cluster features Chile and Paraguay, where quantity shares dominate value shares—Chile has a 54.07% quantity share but only 7.97% value share. This suggests bulk shipments of crude or lower-end oil, possibly for processing or mass consumption. Chile's high frequency of shipments (44.79% share) also hints at regular, efficient trade due to geographic proximity.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

For Argentina's sunflower seed oil export strategy, focusing on high-value markets like India and Iraq can maximize returns by catering to premium demand. Meanwhile, optimizing logistics for bulk buyers in Chile and Paraguay could reduce costs and strengthen supply chains for volume shipments. Analyzing HS Code 1512 trade data shows opportunities to balance margin-driven exports with efficient bulk handling to sustain growth in key regions.

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

In June 2025, the Argentina Sunflower Seed Oil Export market structure, according to yTrade data, shows a typical distribution across four segments of buyers based on value and frequency. The dominant cluster is the high value high frequency group, which drives the majority of trade value for hs code 1512 trade data. This group defines the standard transaction size and volume for Argentina Sunflower Seed Oil Export buyers.

Strategic Buyer Clusters and Trade Role

The remaining clusters include high value low frequency, low value high frequency, and low value low frequency buyers. For Argentina Sunflower Seed Oil Export, the dominant high value high frequency cluster often consists of large trading firms or international agents, indicating an intermediated market. The profile of hs code 1512 buyers points to an agent-driven trade environment where bulk shipments are common.

Sales Strategy and Vulnerability

For Argentine exporters, the buyer structure suggests focusing on secure relationships with high-value frequent buyers to stabilize sales. The main risk is over-reliance on a few key players, while opportunities exist in engaging smaller or infrequent buyers for diversification. Changes in the US tariff schedule [Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (2025) Revision 5] could affect export flows if the US is a target market, requiring adaptive strategies for hs code 1512 trade data.

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Action Plan for Sunflower Seed Oil Market Operation and Expansion

• Prioritize exports of high-value crude and refined sunflower oil grades to markets like India and Iraq, as the hs code 1512 trade data shows they yield significantly higher margins for Argentina's Sunflower Seed Oil Export.
• Secure long-term contracts with high-value, high-frequency buyers to stabilize the Argentina Sunflower Seed Oil Export revenue stream and reduce vulnerability to demand shifts from a few key players.
• Optimize the Sunflower Seed Oil supply chain for bulk shipments to volume-driven markets like Chile to cut logistics costs and maintain competitiveness in high-quantity, lower-margin segments.
• Diversify the export portfolio by targeting emerging buyers in the high-value, low-frequency segment to broaden the market base for Argentina Sunflower Seed Oil Export and mitigate reliance on dominant clusters.
• Continuously monitor the hs code 1512 trade data for shifts in US tariff policy if it is a target market, enabling proactive adjustments to the Argentina Sunflower Seed Oil Export strategy to avoid potential trade disruptions.

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 June?

The rebound in June 2025 exports to 187.39 million USD follows a volatile first half, peaking in April before a May dip. This reflects post-harvest cycles and adjustments to U.S. tariff revisions, with recovery driven by seasonal demand and policy adaptation.

Q2. Who are the main destination countries of Argentina Sunflower Seed Oil (HS Code 1512) 2025 June?

India dominates with a 47.13% value share, followed by Iraq and Australia. Chile leads in quantity (54.07% share) but lags in value (7.97%), highlighting divergent demand for premium vs. bulk oil.

Q3. Why does the unit price differ across destination countries of Argentina Sunflower Seed Oil Export?

Price gaps stem from product differentiation: high-value crude (e.g., sub-code 15121110919) and refined oils command premiums in India, while bulk crude (e.g., 15121911000) shipped to Chile has a far lower unit price.

Q4. What should exporters in Argentina focus on in the current Sunflower Seed Oil export market?

Prioritize high-value buyers in India and Iraq for premium margins, while optimizing logistics for bulk shipments to Chile. Diversifying beyond dominant trading agents can mitigate over-reliance risks.

Q5. What does this Argentina Sunflower Seed Oil export pattern mean for buyers in partner countries?

High-value markets like India secure premium-grade oil for retail/culinary use, while bulk buyers (e.g., Chile) benefit from cost-efficient crude oil for processing or mass consumption.

Q6. How is Sunflower Seed Oil typically used in this trade flow?

The trade focuses on differentiated manufactured goods, with crude oils for industrial processing and refined oils for direct retail or culinary applications in premium markets.