Cocoa shells, husks, skins and waste market in Argentina

Earlier Report Observations

From 2018 to 2022, the market volume for cocoa shells, husks, skins and waste in Argentina expanded from 209 thousand tons to 311 thousand tons, primarily fueled by a steady increase in imports, which more than doubled over the period. Domestic production fluctuated, experiencing a notable drop in 2020 before recovering to 100 thousand tons by 2023. The market volume contracted to 245 thousand tons in 2023, corresponding with a sharp decline in imports that year.

In 2024, specific developments began to shape the market landscape. Amendments to Argentina's front-of-pack food labeling legislation, enacted in December 2024 through provisions 11362/2024 and 11378/2024, introduced new rules for calculating excessive nutrients and restrictions on promoting foods with warning seals, directly affecting cocoa-derived products. Concurrently, innovations in using cocoa shells for sustainable packaging transformed this waste stream into biodegradable and compostable cardboard, promoting a circular economy and creating new demand for cocoa waste as an industrial raw material.

Production cocoa shells, husks, skins and waste in Argentina

In kind, 2017-2020, kg

Top producers of cocoa shells, husks, skins and waste, 2017-2020

World map of production of cocoa shells, husks, skins and waste, 2017-2020

Argentina's production of cocoa shells, husks, skins, and waste saw a two-year increase before declining. In 2019, production reached its peak at 99 540 kg, but then dropped sharply by 43.0% to 56 690 kg in 2020. Over the 2017-2020 period, overall production fell by 18.5%, with an average annual decline of 6.6%. The most significant growth occurred in 2018, when production rose by 30.9%.

Annual dynamics of production in Argentina in kind, 2017-2020, kg

Exports cocoa shells, husks, skins and waste from Argentina

According to market reports, Argentina did not export any cocoa shells, husks, skins, and waste from 2017 to 2020.

Imports cocoa shells, husks, skins and waste to Argentina

Imports in kind, t

Argentina's imports of cocoa shells, husks, skins, and waste increased for the second year in a row. In 2019, imports stood at a lower level, but by 2020 they had risen sharply by 30.0% to reach 185.0 t. However, looking at the entire 2017-2020 period, imports actually decreased by 41.5%, which translates to an average annual decline of 16.4%. The lowest import volume was recorded in 2018 at 118.4 t, marking the largest decline of 62.6% that year.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Argentina in kind, 2017-2020, t

From 2017 to 2020, Argentina's imports of cocoa shells, husks, skins, and waste were primarily sourced from Ecuador and Ghana. Together, these two countries accounted for 80.9% of total imports, with other destinations playing a minor role.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Argentina in kind, 2017-2020

Imports in value, K $ US

The import market showed an unstable trend during this period. In 2017, imports reached their highest value, while 2018 saw the lowest, with a 3.5-fold difference between these years. By 2020, imports had recovered to 64.7 K $ US, representing a strong increase of 23.2% compared to 2019. The minimum value was recorded in 2018 at 46.2 K $ US, which also marked the largest decline of 71.5%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Argentina in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

Between 2017 and 2020, Ecuador and Colombia were the main suppliers of cocoa shells, husks, skins, and waste to Argentina in value terms. Their combined share accounted for 82.1% of total imports, with the remainder coming from other countries.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Argentina in value, 2017-2020