Vietnamese exporters target Argentina and wider Mercosur market

Exporters focus on selected product segments

Vietnamese exporters are stepping up efforts to enter Argentina and the wider Mercosur market, with electronics, footwear, textiles, cashews, processed food, machinery and electrical equipment among the main opportunities. Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade said suppliers should assess demand and technical requirements product by product rather than treat Argentina as a uniformly expanding market.

Electronics and finished equipment are attracting particular attention. Market monitoring by the Vietnam Trade Office in Argentina indicates that imports of some products, including computers and phones, are showing signs of growth, while component imports have fallen sharply. The ministry said exporters should examine individual tariff lines and importer requirements and consider whether they can support distribution, warranties or Argentine assemblers.

Footwear, textiles and other consumer goods also have potential, but Argentina’s overall consumer-goods imports have not shown broad-based growth. Vietnamese companies are therefore being advised to work with partners that have established distribution systems, stable sales and suitable price positioning. Trial orders and monitoring of sell-through could limit exposure before suppliers commit to larger volumes.

Cashews and processed food move toward commercial talks

Cashews and processed food may offer a more immediate route to transactions. Argentine specialist importers have expressed interest in Vietnamese supplies through contacts organized by a VINACAS delegation. A Vietnamese cashew seminar held in Argentina on 1 October 2026 attracted more than 20 Argentine companies and organizations, including importers, distributors and food-sector businesses. Discussions covered product specifications, quality standards, prices and delivery terms, with sample shipments, quotations and order negotiations identified as the next steps.

Market-access work also covers durian, fresh coconut, passion fruit, pomelo, lychee and rambutan. Meanwhile, Vietnamese machinery, electrical equipment and materials for energy and mining projects will require a more targeted approach. Suppliers need technical compliance, complete vendor documentation and after-sales services, as well as local partners connected to project owners.

Trade negotiations may lower barriers

Vietnam and Mercosur are advancing a preferential trade agreement after their first negotiating round in Buenos Aires in late August 2026. The Vietnam Trade Office is also building importer and distributor databases in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay for food, coffee, cashews, footwear, textiles, wood, machinery, electrical equipment, energy storage and telecommunications. During September 2026, it monitored tariffs, import procedures, technical standards, trade remedies and new Argentine and Mercosur regulations affecting Vietnamese goods.

The relationship is already significant in the opposite direction. Grains and animal-feed ingredients remain large Argentine exports to Vietnam. According to Argentina’s Economy Ministry, agro-industrial exports in the first eight months reached 84.26 million tonnes, up 10% by volume, and were valued at $37.525 billion, up 13%; Vietnam was among the principal destination markets.

Geographic distance, high logistics costs, long shipping times, exchange-rate movements and fluctuations in purchasing power remain major constraints. The Vietnamese ministry recommends preparing company profiles, catalogues, quality certificates and product information in English or Spanish before approaching buyers. For exporters, the commercial test will be whether targeted promotion can progress from initial contact to samples, firm quotations and contracts while keeping landed prices competitive.