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The twenty imports Argentina is best placed to replace.

Argentina imported USD 51bn of manufactured goods in 2024 and exported USD 35bn. These are the twenty that sit closest to what it already makes well and where one country supplies most of them.

USD 4.3bnthe twenty, imported in 2024
344products imported at scale, not yet exported well, and close to existing strengths
460products Argentina already exports well
790product lines imported at USD 10m or more
The twenty

Demand, capability, exposure. Nothing else is claimed.

Each line shows the import bill, where it comes from, the nearest thing Argentina already exports well, and how many countries make it. It does not say whether a plant in Argentina would pay. That reason is not in any trade record, and it is the maker's question.

This edition is trade and capability only, scored out of 8. The UK edition adds which public bodies buy each product and which region holds the capability; those layers are built only where a country publishes contract awards and regional trade, and Argentina does not publish them in a form this record can read yet.

  1. 1

    Fertilizers, mineral or chemical: ammonium dihydrogenorthophosphate (monoammonium phosphate) and mixtures thereof with...HS 310540

    Comes fromMorocco 68%, 14 source countries
    Nearest export strengthFertilizers, mineral or chemical: phosphatic, superphosphates, other... (exports USD 24m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 2m; 4 more lines in the heading, USD 407m
    Countries that export it well15

    Score 8 of 8: import bill USD 443m, top 2 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Argentina's export strengths in the top 9 per cent (3); Morocco supplies 68 per cent (2).

    USD 443mdown 37% on 2022
  2. 2

    Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine, for transport of goods, (of a g.v.w. not...HS 870431

    Comes fromBrazil 70%, 7 source countries
    Nearest export strengthVehicles: with only compression-ignition internal combustion piston... (exports USD 4.7bn)
    Exports of this lineUSD 98m; 5 more lines in the heading, USD 249m
    Countries that export it well7

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 493m, top 1 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Argentina's export strengths in the top 10 per cent (2); Brazil supplies 70 per cent (2).

    USD 493mup 203% on 2022
  3. 3

    Aluminium oxide: other than artificial corundumHS 281820

    Comes fromAustralia 70%, 19 source countries
    Nearest export strengthCarbonates: lithium carbonate (exports USD 721m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 1k; 1 more line in the heading, USD 18m
    Countries that export it well10

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 377m, top 2 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Argentina's export strengths in the top 11 per cent (2); Australia supplies 70 per cent (2).

    USD 377mup 23% on 2022
  4. 4

    Unused postage, revenue or similar stamps of current or new issue in the country in which they have, or will have, a...HS 490700

    Comes fromChina 69%, 9 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this lineUSD 27k
    Countries that export it well40

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 155m, top 7 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Argentina's export strengths in the top 12 per cent (2); China supplies 69 per cent (2).

    USD 155mup 140% on 2022
  5. 5

    Harvesting machinery: parts, including parts of threshing machinery, straw or fodder balers and grass or hay mowersHS 843390

    Comes fromBrazil 65%, 58 source countries
    Nearest export strengthEngines: compression-ignition internal combustion piston engines... (exports USD 228m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 8m; 3 more lines in the heading, USD 48m
    Countries that export it well26

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 143m, top 8 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Argentina's export strengths in the top 15 per cent (2); Brazil supplies 65 per cent (2).

    USD 143mdown 11% on 2022
  6. 6

    Chassis: fitted with engines, for the motor vehicles of heading no. 8701 to 8705HS 870600

    Comes fromBrazil 92%, 6 source countries
    Nearest export strengthVehicles: with only compression-ignition internal combustion piston... (exports USD 4.7bn)
    Exports of this lineUSD 13m
    Countries that export it well19

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 129m, top 9 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Argentina's export strengths in the top 18 per cent (2); Brazil supplies 92 per cent (2).

    USD 129mup 7% on 2022
  7. 7

    Vehicles: bodies (including cabs) for the motor vehicles of heading no. 8701, 8702, 8704 or 8705HS 870790

    Comes fromBrazil 92%, 15 source countries
    Nearest export strengthVehicles: with only compression-ignition internal combustion piston... (exports USD 4.7bn)
    Exports of this lineUSD 2m
    Countries that export it well18

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 124m, top 9 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Argentina's export strengths in the top 25 per cent (2); Brazil supplies 92 per cent (2).

    USD 124mup 13% on 2022
  8. 8

    Wood pulp: chemical wood pulp, soda or sulphate, (other than dissolving grades), semi-bleached or bleached, of...HS 470329

    Comes fromUruguay 58%, 4 source countries
    Nearest export strengthWood pulp: chemical wood pulp, soda or sulphate, (other than... (exports USD 130m)
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well11

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 119m, top 10 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Argentina's export strengths in the top 7 per cent (3); Uruguay supplies 58 per cent (1).

    USD 119mup 31% on 2022
  9. 9

    Copper: wire, of refined copper, of which the maximum cross-sectional dimension exceeds 6mmHS 740811

    Comes fromChile 72%, 8 source countries
    Nearest export strengthCopper mattes: cement copper (precipitated copper) (exports USD 5m)
    Exports of this linenone recorded; 1 more line in the heading, USD 111m
    Countries that export it well25

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 92m, top 14 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Argentina's export strengths in the top 6 per cent (3); Chile supplies 72 per cent (2).

    USD 92mdown 34% on 2022
  10. 10

    Kraft paper and paperboard: kraftliner, uncoated, unbleached, in rolls or sheets, other than that of heading no. 4802...HS 480411

    Comes fromBrazil 95%, 9 source countries
    Nearest export strengthUncoated paper and paperboard (not 4801 or 4803): printing, writing... (exports USD 38m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 982k; 4 more lines in the heading, USD 58m
    Countries that export it well15

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 75m, top 18 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Argentina's export strengths in the top 6 per cent (3); Brazil supplies 95 per cent (2).

    USD 75mdown 41% on 2022
  11. 11

    Tobacco: smoking, other than water pipe tobacco, whether or not containing tobacco substitutes in any proportionHS 240319

    Comes fromBrazil 93%, 13 source countries
    Nearest export strengthTobacco: partly or wholly stemmed or stripped (exports USD 308m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 461k
    Countries that export it well29

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 53m, top 24 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Argentina's export strengths in the top 5 per cent (3); Brazil supplies 93 per cent (2).

    USD 53mup 34% on 2022
  12. 12

    Fertilizers, mineral or chemical: nitrogenous, urea, whether or not in aqueous solutionHS 310210

    Comes fromNigeria 28%, 20 source countries
    Nearest export strengthFertilizers, mineral or chemical: phosphatic, superphosphates, other... (exports USD 24m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 69k; 3 more lines in the heading, USD 124m
    Countries that export it well27

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 390m, top 2 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Argentina's export strengths in the top 2 per cent (3).

    USD 390mdown 8% on 2022
  13. 13

    Tractors: road tractors for semi-trailers, with only compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or...HS 870121

    Comes fromBrazil 99%, 11 source countries
    Nearest export strengthVehicles: with only compression-ignition internal combustion piston... (exports USD 4.7bn)
    Exports of this lineUSD 254k; 6 more lines in the heading, USD 157m
    Countries that export it well12

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 358m, top 3 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Argentina's export strengths in the top 28 per cent (1); Brazil supplies 99 per cent (2).

    USD 358mup 108% on 2022
  14. 14

    Vehicles: with both spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine and electric motor for propulsion, incapable of...HS 870340

    Comes fromBrazil 71%, 15 source countries
    Nearest export strengthVehicles: with only compression-ignition internal combustion piston... (exports USD 4.7bn)
    Exports of this lineUSD 167k; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 1.1bn
    Countries that export it well16

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 298m, top 3 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Argentina's export strengths in the top 50 per cent (1); Brazil supplies 71 per cent (2).

    USD 298mup 96% on 2022
  15. 15

    Insulated electric conductors: ignition wiring sets and other wiring sets of a kind used in vehicles, aircraft or shipsHS 854430

    Comes fromBrazil 32%, 66 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this lineUSD 8m; 5 more lines in the heading, USD 264m
    Countries that export it well30

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 255m, top 4 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Argentina's export strengths in the top 8 per cent (3).

    USD 255mdown 6% on 2022
  16. 16

    Engines: reciprocating piston engines, of a kind used for the propulsion of vehicles of chapter 87, of a cylinder...HS 840734

    Comes fromBrazil 95%, 17 source countries
    Nearest export strengthEngines: compression-ignition internal combustion piston engines... (exports USD 228m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 253k; 3 more lines in the heading, USD 127m
    Countries that export it well14

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 206m, top 5 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Argentina's export strengths in the top 48 per cent (1); Brazil supplies 95 per cent (2).

    USD 206mdown 24% on 2022
  17. 17

    Ethylene polymers: in primary forms, polyethylene having a specific gravity of less than 0.94HS 390110

    Comes fromBrazil 51%, 28 source countries
    Nearest export strengthPropylene, other olefin polymers: polypropylene in primary forms (exports USD 140m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 88m; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 40m
    Countries that export it well28

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 171m, top 6 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Argentina's export strengths in the top 11 per cent (2); Brazil supplies 51 per cent (1).

    USD 171mdown 37% on 2022
  18. 18

    Iron or non-alloy steel: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, (not corrugated), plated or coated with zinc (not...HS 721049

    Comes fromBrazil 99%, 9 source countries
    Nearest export strengthSteel, alloy: semi-finished products (exports USD 202m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 6m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 11m
    Countries that export it well26

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 168m, top 6 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Argentina's export strengths in the top 33 per cent (1); Brazil supplies 99 per cent (2).

    USD 168mdown 5% on 2022
  19. 19

    Cocoa: butter, fat and oilHS 180400

    Comes fromBrazil 92%, 11 source countries
    Nearest export strengthChocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa: n.e.c. in... (exports USD 84m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 2k
    Countries that export it well18

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 118m, top 10 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Argentina's export strengths in the top 13 per cent (2); Brazil supplies 92 per cent (2).

    USD 118mup 93% on 2022
  20. 20

    Carbonates: disodium carbonateHS 283620

    Comes fromUnited States 83%, 17 source countries
    Nearest export strengthCarbonates: lithium carbonate (exports USD 721m)
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well14

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 93m, top 14 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Argentina's export strengths in the top 16 per cent (2); United States supplies 83 per cent (2).

    USD 93mdown 14% on 2022

One line per customs heading. Products Argentina already exports well and still imports are below, because they are a different conversation. No employment figures appear on this page, by decision.

Made here already, still imported

Scale conversations, not capability ones.

  • Vehicle parts: gear boxes and parts thereof imports USD 793m, exports USD 300m, top source Japan 39%
  • Engines: compression-ignition internal combustion piston engines (diesel or... imports USD 602m, exports USD 228m, top source Thailand 40%
  • Herbicides, anti-sprouting products and plant-growth regulators: other than... imports USD 359m, exports USD 96m, top source China 32%
  • Acids: carboxylic acids, with additional oxygen function (not alcohol, phenol... imports USD 88m, exports USD 13m, top source China 72%
  • Fungicides: other than containing goods specified in Subheading Note 1 to this... imports USD 111m, exports USD 49m, top source Brazil 38%
  • Harvesting machinery: n.e.c. in heading no. 8433 imports USD 57m, exports USD 8m, top source Brazil 40%
  • Insecticides: containing goods specified in Subheading Note 2 to this Chapter... imports USD 24m, exports USD 1m, top source Brazil 62%
  • Iron or non-alloy steel (excluding cast iron): seamless, cold-drawn or... imports USD 31m, exports USD 8m, top source Thailand 53%
  • Enzymes and prepared enzymes: other than rennet and concentrates thereof imports USD 54m, exports USD 32m, top source Denmark 27%
  • Iron or steel (excluding cast iron or stainless steel): seamless, line pipe of... imports USD 37m, exports USD 17m, top source Italy 39%
How the twenty were chosen

Three scores, each from a field the record carries.

Import bill, 0 to 3, by percentile among the 790 lines imported at USD 10m or more: above the median one point, top quarter two, top tenth three.

Proximity to export strengths, 0 to 3, on the same percentiles: the product-space method (Hidalgo, Klinger, Barabasi and Hausmann, Science 2007) on CEPII's BACI file of every bilateral trade flow for 2024, 157 countries and 5,388 products. Two products are close when the countries that export one well tend to export the other well. Only products in the upper half for proximity can enter the list at all: best placed is a proximity claim.

Supply concentration, 0 to 2: one point when a single country supplies 40 per cent or more, two at 60 per cent.

Scope. Manufactured goods, customs chapters 16 to 96, excluding ores, fuels and precious metals. Primary agriculture is out of scope for a page about manufacture.

What it cannot tell you

A map of where to look.

Trade data says what crossed the border, not why. Cost, scale, patents, tariffs and the plain fact that a supplier is good at it are all invisible here. The world file reconciles what each pair of countries reports, so a national customs file would differ in detail. Nothing on this page is a forecast or a promise.

Source: CEPII BACI, HS22, version 202601, years 2022 to 2024. Edition of 2026-11-02. The UK edition with its procurement and regional layers is at /made-here/.

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