Monthly trade report
Argentina imports: October 2026
In October 2026, Argentina imported US$5.31 billion of goods, down 4.7% from September 2026 and down 8.4% from October 2025, according to Argentina customs (ARCA) data compiled by CargoFax.
- Imports, October 2026
- US$5.31 billion
- vs September 2026
- -4.7%
- vs October 2025
- -8.4%
Fuel imports fell to their lowest since January 2025 while fertilizers kept rising
Mineral fuels (HS 27) entered Argentina at US$49.7 million in October 2026, the lowest monthly value since January 2025, when this series begins. The chapter has fallen for four consecutive months, from US$597 million in June.
The total eased as well. Imports were US$5.31 billion (FOB), 4.7% less than in September and 8.4% less than in October 2025. Packaged medicines (HS 3004) gave the largest decline, falling 41.5% to US$115 million after September's jump, and electrical equipment (HS 85) fell 11.7% to US$524 million.
Fertilizers moved the other way. Nitrogen fertilizers (HS 3102) rose 24.4% to US$153 million, their fourth monthly increase, and the fertilizer chapter (HS 31) reached US$321 million, up from US$164 million in June. Bulldozers, graders and excavators (HS 8429) climbed 37.7% to US$59.8 million and aluminium imports reached US$46.6 million, both the highest since January 2025.
China supplied 28.2% of imports and Brazil 23%. Imports from the United States declined for a fourth month, to US$483 million.
From August to October, imports totaled US$16.1 billion, 7% more than in the previous three months and 4.1% less than a year earlier. Year to date, they reached US$48.9 billion, 6.7% below 2025.
What the data shows: October's total eased as fuels and medicines fell, while fertilizers and earthmoving machinery kept rising. The data does not show why; November will show whether fertilizer purchases hold at this level.
Month at a glance
| Metric | October 2026 | September 2026 | Change | October 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Import value (US$) | 5,310,249,504 | 5,574,017,941 | -4.7% | 5,799,609,538 | -8.4% |
| Records | 553,281 | 562,920 | -1.7% | 668,422 | -17.2% |
| Importers | 12,680 | 12,509 | +1.4% | 13,741 | -7.7% |
How does the month compare with the last three months, the quarter, and the year?
| Period | Total | Prior period | vs prior period | Same period last year | vs same period last year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Last 3 months Aug – Oct '26 | 16,113,745,984 | 15,060,113,922 May – Jul '26 | +7.0% | 16,807,505,391 | -4.1% |
| Quarter to date Oct '26 | 5,310,249,504 | 5,170,309,971 Jul '26 | +2.7% | 5,799,609,538 | -8.4% |
| Year to date Jan – Oct '26 | 48,946,787,228 | 52,466,325,119 Jan – Oct '25 | -6.7% | 52,466,325,119 | -6.7% |
What did Argentina import in October 2026?
By HS chapter
| HS | Category | Value (US$) | Share | vs Sep 2026 | vs Oct 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 84 | Machinery and computers | 910,354,116 | 17.1% | -6.6% | -2.5% |
| 87 | Vehicles and parts | 885,626,191 | 16.7% | -2.9% | -18.6% |
| 85 | Electrical equipment | 524,405,936 | 9.9% | -11.7% | -12.8% |
| 31 | Fertilizers | 321,220,153 | 6.0% | +9.8% | -11.3% |
| 30 | Pharmaceutical products | 281,130,200 | 5.3% | -20.6% | -8.4% |
| 39 | Plastics | 227,097,924 | 4.3% | -11.3% | +7.9% |
| 29 | Organic chemicals | 189,435,051 | 3.6% | -12.2% | -18.2% |
| 90 | Optical and medical instruments | 170,727,925 | 3.2% | -9.8% | -13.2% |
| 38 | Miscellaneous chemical products | 142,482,581 | 2.7% | -1.0% | -11.0% |
| 73 | Iron and steel articles | 101,892,665 | 1.9% | -18.8% | +17.1% |
By product (HS4)
| HS | Product | Value (US$) | Share | vs Sep 2026 | vs Oct 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8703 | Passenger cars | 388,139,857 | 7.3% | -8.1% | -25.5% |
| 3105 | Mixed fertilizers | 159,331,054 | 3.0% | +6.9% | -6.9% |
| 3102 | Nitrogen fertilizers | 153,151,127 | 2.9% | +24.4% | -13.4% |
| 3002 | Vaccines, blood, and immunological products | 150,347,881 | 2.8% | +6.0% | -1.8% |
| 8517 | Phones and network equipment | 144,557,333 | 2.7% | -14.4% | -2.7% |
| 8704 | Trucks and pickups | 141,580,030 | 2.7% | -0.8% | -11.4% |
| 8708 | Vehicle parts and accessories | 131,580,501 | 2.5% | +5.7% | -16.5% |
| 3004 | Packaged medicines | 115,216,222 | 2.2% | -41.5% | -15.7% |
| 8471 | Computers | 88,717,237 | 1.7% | -17.7% | +23.1% |
| 8701 | (other than tractors of heading no 8709) | 87,327,398 | 1.6% | -0.2% | +1.4% |
What went up, what went down
Biggest increases
The largest increase came from nitrogen fertilizers (HS 3102): US$30.1 million more than in September 2026, up 24.4%.
| HS | Product | Prior month | This month | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7207 | Iron or non-alloy steel | 832,082 | 36,511,830 | +35,679,748 | >+999% |
| 8907 | Boats, floating structures, other (for e.g. rafts,... | 198,694 | 32,438,907 | +32,240,214 | >+999% |
| 3102 | Nitrogen fertilizers | 123,074,783 | 153,151,127 | +30,076,344 | +24.4% |
| 8421 | Centrifuges, including centrifugal dryers | 55,774,047 | 74,893,526 | +19,119,479 | +34.3% |
| 8429 | Bulldozers, graders, levellers, scrapers, angledozers,... | 43,406,782 | 59,768,910 | +16,362,128 | +37.7% |
Biggest decreases
Packaged medicines (HS 3004) fell by US$81.8 million from September 2026, more than any other product.
| HS | Product | Prior month | This month | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3004 | Packaged medicines | 196,995,695 | 115,216,222 | -81,779,473 | -41.5% |
| 8502 | Electric generating sets and rotary converters | 74,630,184 | 8,524,516 | -66,105,668 | -88.6% |
| 8411 | Turbojets and gas turbines | 87,766,731 | 31,767,924 | -55,998,807 | -63.8% |
| 8703 | Passenger cars | 422,392,893 | 388,139,857 | -34,253,035 | -8.1% |
| 7308 | Structures of iron or steel and parts thereof | 35,194,760 | 5,510,525 | -29,684,234 | -84.3% |
Where did Argentina's imports come from?
| Origin | Value (US$) | Share | vs Sep 2026 | vs Oct 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 1,498,071,391 | 28.2% | -6.3% | -8.2% |
| Brazil | 1,223,265,535 | 23.0% | +5.3% | -9.7% |
| United States | 483,297,075 | 9.1% | -2.1% | +3.9% |
| Germany | 229,057,193 | 4.3% | -8.9% | -2.9% |
| India | 121,522,971 | 2.3% | -3.5% | -5.4% |
| Vietnam | 113,709,914 | 2.1% | -5.6% | +5.4% |
| Italy | 109,429,205 | 2.1% | -26.9% | -19.8% |
| Spain | 82,755,488 | 1.6% | +16.9% | -5.6% |
| Mexico | 80,279,682 | 1.5% | -11.6% | -40.7% |
| Chile | 74,568,604 | 1.4% | -22.7% | +12.1% |
Ports of entry
| Port | Value (US$) | Share | vs Sep 2026 | vs Oct 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buenos Aires (port) | 2,091,868,351 | 39.4% | -2.1% | -11.2% |
| Campana | 784,779,743 | 14.8% | -2.6% | -13.2% |
| Ezeiza (airport) | 694,504,090 | 13.1% | -17.7% | -6.9% |
| Paso de los Libres | 224,942,651 | 4.2% | +5.4% | +24.1% |
| San Nicolás | 213,277,792 | 4.0% | +4.1% | -21.6% |
Which imports grew and declined over the last three months?
Aug 2026 to Oct 2026 compared with Aug 2025 to Oct 2025. Items under 0.5% of the three-month total are left out.
Products
| Grew | Comparison period | Last 3 months | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric generating sets and rotary converters | 47,481,489 | 170,031,793 | +122,550,304 | +258.1% |
| Natural gas and LPG | 148,325,369 | 264,814,392 | +116,489,023 | +78.5% |
| Centrifuges, including centrifugal dryers | 120,614,182 | 195,061,950 | +74,447,768 | +61.7% |
| Vaccines, blood, and immunological products | 362,062,249 | 436,153,682 | +74,091,433 | +20.5% |
| Turbojets and gas turbines | 64,760,746 | 137,005,525 | +72,244,779 | +111.6% |
| Declined | Comparison period | Last 3 months | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars | 1,644,597,935 | 1,214,630,866 | -429,967,069 | -26.1% |
| Aircraft n.e.c. in heading no. 8801, except unmanned... | 145,181,882 | 28,817,942 | -116,363,939 | -80.2% |
| Vehicle parts and accessories | 497,576,837 | 393,906,233 | -103,670,604 | -20.8% |
| Refined petroleum fuels | 213,636,156 | 111,221,338 | -102,414,818 | -47.9% |
| (other than tractors of heading no 8709) | 353,322,726 | 257,575,883 | -95,746,843 | -27.1% |
Countries
| Grew | Comparison period | Last 3 months | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lithuania | 5,271,203 | 96,807,509 | +91,536,306 | >+999% |
| China | 4,549,230,470 | 4,637,642,489 | +88,412,019 | +1.9% |
| Kazakhstan | 103,752 | 87,736,954 | +87,633,202 | >+999% |
| Bolivia | 62,994,932 | 126,532,616 | +63,537,684 | +100.9% |
| Canada | 94,527,037 | 152,227,800 | +57,700,762 | +61.0% |
| Declined | Comparison period | Last 3 months | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 4,276,166,694 | 3,558,592,610 | -717,574,084 | -16.8% |
| Mexico | 400,955,524 | 243,811,942 | -157,143,583 | -39.2% |
| Thailand | 286,988,447 | 191,766,753 | -95,221,694 | -33.2% |
| Russia | 131,137,964 | 50,502,689 | -80,635,275 | -61.5% |
| South Korea | 194,426,757 | 123,397,044 | -71,029,712 | -36.5% |
Top importers in October 2026
12,680 importers received shipments this month. See who they are, what they bought, and from whom in Explorer.
| # | Importer | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Importer, HS 87 vehicles and parts | |
| 2 | Importer, HS 87 vehicles and parts | |
| 3 | Importer, HS 72 iron and steel | |
| 4 | Importer, HS 31 fertilizers | |
| 5 | Importer, HS 87 vehicles and parts | |
| 6 | Importer, HS 87 vehicles and parts | |
| 7 | Importer, HS 87 vehicles and parts | |
| 8 | Importer, HS 87 vehicles and parts |
12-month trend
| Month | Value (US$) | Records |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 2025 | 4,502,889,210 | 505,077 |
| Dec 2025 | 4,828,874,100 | 534,464 |
| Jan 2026 | 4,273,818,015 | 449,946 |
| Feb 2026 | 3,979,740,745 | 436,667 |
| Mar 2026 | 4,771,329,299 | 534,585 |
| Apr 2026 | 4,748,039,263 | 534,890 |
| May 2026 | 4,530,221,134 | 471,973 |
| Jun 2026 | 5,359,582,818 | 529,943 |
| Jul 2026 | 5,170,309,971 | 499,859 |
| Aug 2026 | 5,229,478,539 | 524,472 |
| Sep 2026 | 5,574,017,941 | 562,920 |
| Oct 2026 | 5,310,249,504 | 553,281 |
What looks unusual this month?
These changes may reflect a few large shipments, late records, or a classification change rather than a trend. Check them in the records before quoting them.
- HS 7207 (iron or non-alloy steel) went from US$832,000 to US$36.5 million. Treat with caution: jumps this size often reflect a few large transactions or a classification change.
- HS 8907 (boats, floating structures, other (for e.g. rafts,...) went from US$199,000 to US$32.4 million. Treat with caution: jumps this size often reflect a few large transactions or a classification change.
- HS 8902 (fishing vessels, factory ships and other vessels) reappeared at US$8.77 million after six or more months at zero. Treat it as a single event until later months confirm it.
- HS 2713 (petroleum coke, petroleum bitumen) went from US$442,000 to US$7.67 million. Treat with caution: jumps this size often reflect a few large transactions or a classification change.
- Mineral fuels and oils (HS 27) fell to its lowest monthly level since January 2025.
- Ships and boats (HS 89) reached its highest monthly level since January 2025.
- Aluminium (HS 76) reached its highest monthly level since January 2025.
- Centrifuges, including centrifugal dryers (HS 8421) reached its highest monthly level since January 2025.
Argentina import facts, October 2026
- In October 2026, Argentina imported US$5.31 billion of goods, down 4.7% from September 2026 and down 8.4% from October 2025.
- No product heading was larger than passenger cars (HS 8703), at US$388 million.
- The largest increase came from nitrogen fertilizers (HS 3102): US$30.1 million more than in September 2026, up 24.4%.
- Packaged medicines (HS 3004) fell by US$81.8 million from September 2026, more than any other product.
Methodology
Argentina customs (ARCA) import declarations. Import values are declared FOB values in US dollars. Categories follow the Harmonized System. Records are customs line items; importers are distinct importers with a record in the month. The latest month may be revised as late records arrive. The period table leaves out a comparison that reaches before January 2025, when the series starts, or that includes a month not used as a base. Year to date is compared with the same months a year earlier. Excludes provisional electricity declarations (HS 2716, regime IC01) and goods from Argentine free zones such as Tierra del Fuego, which are domestic production. Importers are counted by name as published (cut to 30 characters). Each line carries the declared FOB value with its quantity and unit of measure. Exports are not covered: the official export file is aggregated and drops small groups.
FAQ
Argentina trade, October 2026: frequently asked questions
How much did Argentina import in October 2026?
Argentina imported US$5.31 billion (FOB) in October 2026, down 4.7% from September 2026 and down 8.4% from October 2025, according to CargoFax customs records.
What does Argentina import?
In October 2026, Argentina's largest imports were passenger cars (HS 8703, US$388 million), mixed fertilizers (HS 3105, US$159 million), and nitrogen fertilizers (HS 3102, US$153 million). The largest HS chapter was machinery and computers, with 17.1% of the total.
Where does Argentina import from?
The top origin countries for Argentina's imports in October 2026 were China (28.2%), Brazil (23.0%), and the United States (9.1%), by share of value.
Are Argentina's imports going up or down?
Argentina's imports are falling. From August 2026 to October 2026, they totaled US$16.1 billion, down 4.1% from the same months last year. Year to date, Argentina's imports are down 6.7% from the same period of 2025.
What are Argentina's main ports of entry?
In October 2026, Argentina's main points of entry were Buenos Aires (port) with 39.4%, Campana with 14.8%, and Ezeiza (airport) with 13.1% of imports.
How many companies import into Argentina?
12,680 distinct importers appear in Argentina's customs records for October 2026. Their names are available to subscribers in Atlas Explorer.
Where can I get Argentina import and export data?
CargoFax publishes this Argentina trade report free every month. The Argentina customs records behind it, with company names, HS codes, countries, and ports, are searchable in Atlas Explorer and available in bulk through Files.
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