What are Argentina’s Main Exports and Imports?
International Trade & Markets
Argentina remains one of South America’s most important trading economies, with exports led by agriculture, food products, energy, and transport equipment, while imports are driven by industrial inputs, machinery, chemicals, vehicles, and fuel products. In 2025, Argentina’s merchandise exports rose 9.3% to US$87.1 billion, imports rose 24.6% to US$75.8 billion, and the country posted a US$11.3 billion trade surplus.
For importers and exporters, that trade mix matters because it shapes cargo type, seasonality, port demand, inland transport planning, and customs requirements. Companies moving cargo between North and South America often start by comparing freight from the US to Argentina before narrowing down service options, routes, and likely shipping costs.
What Does Argentina Export?
Argentina’s export profile is still heavily tied to agriculture and resource-based industries, but the mix is broader than raw commodities alone. INDEC reports that the top export HS sections in 2025 were vegetable products (23%), foodstuffs, beverages, and tobacco (15%), mineral products (12%), animal or vegetable fats and oils (11%), and transport equipment (10%).
At the product level, Argentina’s leading exports in 2025 included soybean oilcake and other solid residues, crude petroleum oils, maize, crude soybean oil, and goods vehicles with diesel or semi-diesel engines. These categories show how Argentina’s export base is split across agribusiness, energy, and selected manufacturing.
Because a large share of these exports moves by sea, many shippers compare ocean freight to Argentina when planning port-based cargo movements, especially for bulkier or containerized shipments tied to harvest cycles and commodity demand.
Argentina’s Main Exports
- Soybean oilcake and other solid residues
- Crude petroleum oils
- Maize
- Crude soybean oil
- Goods vehicles
- Other vegetable and food products
- Mineral products
- Transport equipment
Where Does Argentina Export To?
Argentina’s top export destinations in 2025 were Brazil (15%), China (11%), the United States (10%), Chile (7%), and India (6%). This shows how the country depends on both regional trade and long-haul international shipping. Brazil remains central for automotive and industrial trade, while China and India are major markets for commodity and agricultural cargo.
Many outbound containerized shipments move through the country’s main maritime gateway, so businesses reviewing port access, documentation, and route options often look at how to ship a container to Buenos Aires before booking. That is especially relevant for cargo moving onward to inland markets such as Rosario, Córdoba, and Mendoza.
What Does Argentina Import?
Argentina imports a broad mix of industrial and consumer products, but most import value is concentrated in goods that support manufacturing, transport, and energy demand. In 2025, the top import HS sections were machines, instruments, and electrical appliances (27%), transport equipment (20%), chemical products (16%), plastics and rubber (6%), and base metals and manufactures (6%).
At the product level, some of the most imported goods in 2025 included soybeans, passenger motor vehicles, and medium petroleum oils and preparations. This highlights Argentina’s dependence on imported industrial inputs, vehicles, and fuel-related products, even while it remains a strong exporter of agriculture and energy-linked goods.
For companies arranging inbound containerized cargo, it can be useful to ship a container to Argentina to compare booking requirements, paperwork steps, customs handling, and destination setup before a shipment moves. ([iContainers][5])
Argentina’s Main Imports
- Soybeans
- Passenger motor vehicles
- Petroleum oils and fuel products
- Machinery and electrical equipment
- Chemical products
- Plastics and rubber products
- Base metals
- Auto-related cargo and industrial inputs
Where Does Argentina Import From?
Argentina’s top import partners in 2025 were Brazil (24%), China (24%), the United States (9%), Germany (4%), and Paraguay (4%). That sourcing structure reflects the country’s reliance on regional manufacturing supply chains as well as imported machinery, vehicle-related cargo, and industrial goods from overseas markets.
When delivery windows matter, businesses can use the Transit Time Calculator to estimate route timing before choosing a service, especially on longer lanes involving transshipment or inland delivery after port arrival.
Why Argentina’s Trade Profile Matters for Shippers
Argentina’s trade composition creates a specific freight environment. Agricultural exports can be seasonal and volume-heavy, energy cargo may require specialized handling, and automotive or machinery shipments often depend on regional manufacturing links. On the import side, businesses commonly deal with machinery, chemicals, fuel products, auto parts, and containerized industrial cargo. Those patterns influence mode selection, documentation, port choice, and customs-clearance strategy. This is an operational inference from INDEC’s 2025 export and import mix.
To estimate shipping costs before booking, shippers can use the Freight Cost Calculator to compare options based on route, cargo type, and service needs. For ocean shipments specifically, iContainers also notes that its pricing tools cover thousands of trade lanes and can compare FCL and LCL quotes side by side.
Final Thoughts
Argentina’s biggest exports are still centered on agriculture, food processing, energy, and selected manufacturing categories such as transport equipment. Its imports are led by machinery, transport equipment, chemicals, plastics, metals, and fuel-related products. For importers and exporters, that makes Argentina a market where trade strategy depends heavily on cargo type, regional trade relationships, inland logistics, and careful route planning.
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