The sector of Appliances It crosses a Dual panorama. On the one hand, managed to recover the lost for 2024. On the other, this sales increase consists of an amount of products manufactured abroad increasingly. In the last hours, the sector received a novelty: in February, More imported refrigerators arrived than those that occurred in the country.
The data arises from an internal survey of the sector. In February 2025, 57,263 refrigerators occurredwhile they entered 68,016 imported units. Last month, then, it was bought from the external market almost 20% more of frosts than those produced in Argentina.
It is clear that the destinations where they come are not varied: Brazil, Mexico and the “Other Origins” tab, which is monopolized by 98% by China. The breakdown is composed as follows: 20,658 units, 762 and 46,596 respectively. That is to say, 68.5% of the units were brought directly from the Asian giant.
A year ago, as soon as the management of President Javier Milei initiated, the figures were completely different. Import restrictions and Mulc access through, together with a weight that the market still did not warn as appreciated, the amount of Produced refrigerators In Argentina it was from 40,064, while imported only 1362. At that time, imported ice cream shops They represented only 3.29% of the total.
However, with the passage of commercial flexibility, the numbers were in crescendo and The relationship between imported and national products was generating greater concern among industrialists.
Strong import growth from the second semester of 2024
In September, according to the survey that covers desks of the main brands that operate in the country, imports that exceeded ten thousand units by the main import destinations began to register: thus, thus, thus, During that month, 13,729 refrigerators from Brazil and 17,817 of China were importedalthough without overcoming the 65,067 nationals of that moment.
The most representative voices of the sector pay special attention to these numbers. Sales grow, but the national production chain is put at risk. It is already on the table of the Secretariat of Industry and Commerce A study that relieves the impact of Tax load and others “Argentine costs“So that, according to the words of a source,”See how difficult the industry has”
According to a recognized voice within the item, The elimination of the country tax in December It was key to accelerating appliance imports.
However, the flood of imported refrigerators is the result of operations carried out three or four months ago: “Now, we begin to see the real effects of the arrival of imports”, He says in dialogue Scope.
In turn, the rise in revenue and the exchange rate, at its current level, “Help competitiveness“But from imports and from the sector they look, with concern, In the reflection of the beginnings of 2000.
“This will continue to grow at the same levels that we detect in recent months. Our approach is that the State helps improve our conditionsto be able to compete against this important income of units, ”concludes the source consulted.
Competitiveness, the key factor that seeks to win the industry
The claim drills ceilings and reaches the main links. In the production chain of Steel plates They also wonder What future holds for sales to suppliers, large companies or SMEswhich, as they explain, will prefer to import the product with added value than to produce at a cost that leaves less and less margin, although the price of the raw material lowers.
Raised the board, a camera representative of commercial entities around the country ensures that the discussion will pass through this management here: Competitiveness to adapt to the new productive scheme raised by the National Government.
“With the passage of time, we are sure that the Government will bet on a conversion of the economy, linked to the strategic sectors to export. He who can be reconverted, and he who will not disappear”, They alert to this medium and conclude: the difficulty that appears is that the State does not intend to collaborate in that transition with interventionist policies, and that does not happen in other countries in the world. Therefore, we will have to directly think about sectors that will no longer work”
Increase the deterioration of the trade balance
The Balance of goods registered a surplus of US $ 227 million In February: the number marked a fort deterioration of US $ 1,182 million with respect to the surplus of US $ 1,409 million in February 2024.
Interannual deterioration was especially explained by the strong increase in imports, which grew 42.3% in interannual terms and 8.9% in intermensual terms. According to facimex values, it is a dynamic expected product of the appreciation of the type real change for imports (40% year -on -year), the strong recovery of the activity and the jump of investment for the improvement of expectations.
Source: Ambito
