Argentina’s September Exports Exceed US$10 Billion, Reaching an All-Time High – La Nación | 19/10/26

Argentine exports reached an all-time high of US$10.036 billion in September 2026, representing a 23.5% year-on-year increase, driven by a 16.4% rise in prices and a 6.1% increase in volumes, according to the Argentine Foreign Trade Report (ICA) published by Indec. This performance generated a trade surplus of US$2.976 billion, US$2.039 billion higher than in the same month of 2025. All major export categories recorded growth, particularly Fuels and Energy, which surged 89.1% to US$1.781 billion, mainly driven by crude oil exports, accounting for approximately 44% of the total increase in exports and 41% of the improvement in the trade balance. Agricultural Manufactures (MOA) led in value with US$3.495 billion, followed by Industrial Manufactures (MOI) at US$2.534 billion and primary products at US$2.225 billion. In contrast, imports totaled US$7.060 billion, declining 1.8% year-on-year, reflecting an 11.2% decrease in volumes, partially offset by a 10.4% increase in prices. The largest declines were recorded in passenger vehicles (-27.2%), capital goods (-10.4%), parts and accessories (-3.5%) and consumer goods (-2.5%), while intermediate goods imports increased by 11.9%. During the first nine months of 2026, exports accumulated US$77.267 billion, up 21.6% compared with 2025, while imports totaled US$56.069 billion, down 2.5%, resulting in a cumulative trade surplus of US$21.198 billion, US$13.734 billion higher than the previous year. Regarding trading partners, China overtook Brazil to become Argentina’s largest trading partner in September, with Argentine imports from China reaching US$1.817 billion and exports totaling US$986 million, resulting in a bilateral trade deficit of US$831 million. Brazil ranked second, while trade with the European Union remained largely stable. Although export growth was accompanied by a 5.4% improvement in the terms of trade, specialists warned that declining imports of capital goods and spare parts reflect weaknesses in investment and industrial production capacity. Link to Article