In January, small and medium-sized Argentine companies continued to show growth in their exports, both in revenue and volume, according to a report from the Argentine Confederation of Medium Enterprises (CAME). In this month, SMEs registered a positive balance in their exports, with an increase of 22.2%, reaching US$755 million exported, which represents 13.6% of the total exported by Argentina in the same period.
The survey revealed that of more than 198 possible export destinations for Argentine SMEs, 30 countries concentrated 88% of operations, equivalent to US$664.8 million. Exports were mainly directed to South America, with Brazil and Chile as the main trading partners in the region, followed by Asia, where China played a prominent role.
In terms of volume, SMEs exported 580,821 tons in January, which represented an increase of 10.7% compared to the same period the previous year. The average price per ton exported increased by 10.3%, reaching US$1,301. Of the companies that exported in January, 68.2% were SMEs.
Regarding the exported goods, various behaviors were observed. For example, the Footwear sector and its parts saw the largest decline (-39%), while Oil and fuels experienced significant growth both in dollars (+708%) and in tons (+1,053%). The Textiles and textile manufacturing industry, on the other hand, suffered the largest decline in tons (-32.9%).
CAME explained that the growth in the Oil and fuels sector was due to the increase in oil and natural gas production in Argentina, driven by the development of Vaca Muerta and unconventional extraction. This increase allowed for a notable rise in exports and greater energy self-sufficiency, achieving the first surplus in the energy trade balance since 2009, despite the reduction in imports of fuels and lubricants.
Despite the advancement of the hydrocarbons sector, the main export category remains Unprocessed Food, which represented 48.6% of the total exported by Argentine SMEs. CAME pointed out that the most outstanding exporting activities correspond to primary or low-transformation sectors, including extractive industries.
