The industry continues to add indicators that account for the impact of imports on local production, which operates 10% below 2023 levelsaccording to the Argentine Industrial Union (UIA). In parallel, only in the first semester Chinese merchandise were imported by U $ 8,297 millionalmost 80% more than in the same period of 2024, according to private estimates.
In your latest report, the UIA warned about the existence of “greater competition against the importation of finished goods”. And estimated that during the first half of the year the imports of consumer goods reached the U $ S5.268 milliona 32% rise against 2023. However, the industrial activity was 10% below that year, according to its measurements.
In addition, they added that “another of the imported items that registered a considerable rise were the goods dispatched through postal services (Courier), which registered a 42% rise against 2023 “.
The economist Federico Vaccarezza explained to Scope that “Argentina are stop producing and China is supplying that import. “ He argued that, for that reason, “one is found that at two different times, one of consumption boom and another of depression, the same amount is still imported.”
And emphasized that “The one who is ‘paying the duck’ is clearly the local production“In this sense, according to the latest data of the Faithful Foundation, industrial activity fell 3.3% in July in the year -on -year comparison and 1.4% in the desestationalized measurement.
Bilateral trade: the deficit with China grows
For its part, the International Trade consultant, Jorge Bercianoexplained to this medium that during the first half of the year merchandise of Chinese origin was imported for an amount of US $ 8,297 million, “Almost 80% more than the same semester of 2024”.
UNEXAR specialist explained that “The main imported product were the circuits printed for more than US $ 273 million (+88%) And secondly, data processing machines appear for an amount of US $ 165 million. “
As a consequence, he remarked that the commercial deficit of the semester was US $ 5,227 million, is the most bulky of all countries and that, if this trend is maintained, It would be “aiming at an annual deficit of more than US $1,000 million“
According to the Julio Balance that published on Wednesday, imports reached during the past month were from US $ 6,738 milliona rise of 17.7% year -on -year. Of that total, one US $ 1,455 million corresponded to China, A 48.1% jump against July last year.
The case of metallurgy
At the sector level, one of the clearest cases is that of the metallurgical industry. The activity of that sector maintains a 15% below the historical maximums and with a Use of installed capacity at just 45.2%one of the lowest levels in decades, according to Adimra.
Imports of metallurgical products totaled US $ 2,140 million in June, which represents an interannual increase of 46.8%. While in monthly terms purchases abroad continue to grow at an average rate of 3.8%.
Within this general increase, Adimra observed a strong advance in China, the largest producer of steel worldwide: “In June, your shipments They grew by 123.3% year -on -yearwith a monthly growth rate of 6.9%, reaching a 30% participation in the imported total “they detailed.
A specific case is that of the steel Acindar which in July suspended for a month the production of steel at the plant located in Villa ConstituciónProvince of Santa Fe, in the midst of complaints by the UOM that the company began to import Chinese steel.
What is coming for the industry
Forward, Vaccarezza explained that “China is the main provider in Latin America today, with manufactured and semi -abuse products“, a situation that probably deepens after the commercial war with the United States.
However, he remarked that despite the fact that “China can export many things, there are actions that governments can carry out to be able“. And he exemplified with the case of Brazil:” China is more looking at Brazil than Argentina and yet it is a country that has reached an advanced degree of industrial development and is not so worried in that regard. Negotiate and talk to China, “he argued.
And he added that “It will also depend a lot on dialogue and cooperation between both actors so that the sensitive sectors are not affected, “added to” the policies that are carried out to try to enhance or promote the industrial, technological, scientific and export capacity of Argentina. “
At the moment, however, that is not observed at the local level. A source linked to foreign trade assured the scope that during the last time it observed “many new importers”, in particular industrial companies and SMEs. And advanced an even greater arrival of imports: “The merchandise will come from October, especially for the holidays.”
Source: Ambito
