San Juan supplies 31% of Argentina’s September grape-must exports

San Juan captures nearly one-third of national volume

Argentina’s San Juan province exported 3,409 tonnes of bulk concentrated grape juice in September 2026, reinforcing its position as one of the country’s two main production and processing centers for grape must. The shipments represented 31% of Argentina’s total concentrated-must export volume during the month, according to provisional figures from the National Institute of Viticulture, or INV.

The exports generated gross FOB revenue of $4.639 million for San Juan’s economy. Based on the reported volume and value, the shipments had an implied average FOB value of about $1,361 per tonne. Diario Huarpe reported the figures from the INV’s Coordination of Promotion and Technical Affairs, which prepared the data using Argentina’s Malvina customs information system.

Mendoza supplied the remaining 69% of Argentina’s exported concentrated must in September. The two western provinces therefore accounted for the national total reported for the month, underlining the geographic concentration of Argentina’s grape-processing capacity.

National shipments record year-on-year growth

Argentina’s total foreign sales of concentrated grape must increased 34.5% year on year by volume in September, according to the INV data cited by Diario Huarpe. The source did not provide the corresponding national tonnage, export value, destination markets or a comparison of average prices.

San Juan’s role in the sector is supported by installed processing capacity and industrial specialization in grape concentrates. The product is used as a natural sweetener by food and beverage manufacturers and has become the principal source of foreign currency for the province’s wine-related industry, Diario Huarpe reported.

The September figures indicate that concentrated juice is more important to San Juan’s export earnings than wine. Must shipments generated more than four times the gross FOB revenue recorded from the province’s wine exports during the same month. That distinction matters for producers and processors assessing demand between grapes destined for concentration and those allocated to winemaking.

Wine exports add $980,000 in FOB revenue

San Juan also exported 4,399 hectoliters of wine in September, worth $980,000 FOB. The province supplied 1.9% of Argentina’s total wine export volume, leaving it with a substantially smaller national share in wine than in concentrated grape must.

Varietal wine accounted for most of San Juan’s wine shipments and revenue. The province exported 1,460 hectoliters of bulk varietal wine in flexitanks for $235,000, along with 2,579 hectoliters of bottled varietal wine valued at $687,000. Combined, varietal shipments reached 4,039 hectoliters and generated $922,000, equivalent to most of the province’s reported wine export earnings for the month.

The balance consisted of 252 hectoliters of non-varietal wine packed in Tetra Brik, with an FOB value of $28,000, and 108 hectoliters of bottled sparkling wine worth $30,000. These smaller segments together contributed 360 hectoliters and $58,000.

Malbec dominates Argentina’s varietal offer

At the national level, Malbec represented 68.9% of Argentina’s varietal wine export volume reported by the INV. Cabernet Sauvignon followed with 9.3%, ahead of Chardonnay at 7%, Torrontés Riojano at 3% and Sauvignon Blanc at 2%.

The composition of San Juan’s September trade shows two distinct export positions: a major national role in concentrated grape juice and a smaller but higher-value-oriented presence in wine through bottled and bulk varietal products. For grape growers, processors and buyers, the next indicators will be whether national must-export growth continues and whether San Juan can maintain or increase its 31% share alongside Mendoza.