Argentina seafood exports rise 19.3% in first half, led by shrimp and hake

Argentina seafood exports reached 334,664.8 tonnes in the first half of 2026, generating $1.17 billion in revenue, as stronger shrimp and hake shipments drove most of the sector’s growth.

According to the June 2026 fisheries outlook report prepared by Argentina’s Fisheries Planning Directorate, exports of fishery products rose 11.7% in volume and 19.3% in value compared with the same period last year.

The figures point to a shift in the composition of Argentina’s seafood export growth. Squid remained the country’s leading fishery export by value, but the strongest gains came from shrimp and hake, both of which posted increases in volume and revenue.

Shrimp was the fastest-growing product in the first half. Argentina exported 58,224.5 tonnes of shrimp from January to June, worth $430.3 million. That represented year-on-year increases of 38.2% in volume and 46.4% in export value.

The main boost came from frozen whole shrimp, whose export value nearly doubled compared with the first half of 2025. Other frozen shrimp presentations also recorded gains.

Hake exports also strengthened during the period. Shipments totaled 62,911 tonnes and generated $166.8 million, up 28.1% in volume and 34.9% in value. Growth was seen in both frozen products and fillets, supported by an improvement in the average export price.

Squid, by contrast, remained broadly stable compared with last year. Exports totaled 168,112.6 tonnes and $466.8 million, with volume rising just 0.4% and value slipping 0.3%.

Even with that flat performance, squid continued to rank as Argentina’s top fishery export, both in tonnes and foreign-exchange revenue.

The first-half results show that the increase in Argentina seafood exports was not driven by a larger contribution from squid, but by the stronger performance of other fisheries. The expansion of shrimp and the recovery of hake helped lift export revenue and offset the stability of the country’s leading seafood product.

For exporters, shipping companies and port operators, the data suggest a more diversified seafood export basket than a year earlier. The trend is especially relevant for cold-chain logistics and containerized cargo flows from fishing hubs such as Mar del Plata, as shrimp, hake and squid continue to anchor Argentina’s seafood trade.

Source: Pescare.com.ar

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