15% of the nearly US$49 billion that Argentina imported in the first eight months of the year corresponds to consumer goods, a category that includes everything from grapes to T-shirts, medicines and dental implants. And within that broad basket, it is possible to see which foods Argentines buy abroad.
When analyzing food imports, INDEC separates them into two major groups: basic and processed. Of the former (fruits, vegetables, fish), US$556 million was purchased abroad, 3.4% more than in 2025, while of the latter (tuna, coffee), US$1.068 billion was acquired, 10% more.
What foods do Argentines buy abroad that are not produced in the country?
At the top of the ranking of most-imported products are bananas, one of the most popular fruits. They account for 35% of the fresh foods purchased abroad, with US$201 million so far this year, a drop of 3.7%.
In second place are avocados, a fruit eaten as a vegetable whose popularity grew alongside the rise of "avocado toast" offerings at specialty cafés, at least in Buenos Aires.
Avocados worth US$88 million were purchased abroad so far this year, 12.6% more than in 2025. The "aguacate," as it is also catalogued by INDEC, accounts for nearly 16% of the fresh foods brought in from abroad.
Third in the ranking is fresh salmon "from the Pacific or the Danube," whose imports increased nearly 30%, to US$38 million.
Next come seedless grapes, which saw growth of 16%, to US$19 million.
In fifth place is canchada yerba mate; however, this product was one of the few foods whose imports fell during the year, dropping 7%, to US$15 million. The other product that declined (26%) was shelled almonds, imported in the same amount.
In seventh place in the food ranking is kiwi, which has already established itself among the fruits available in the local market. Imports rose 15%, to US$13 million.
Next come red berries such as raspberries, mulberries and blackberries, whose purchases from abroad rose 32%, reaching US$12 million.
In ninth and tenth place there are no gourmet items, but rather products that (like yerba mate) processed food manufacturers bring in to complement local production. Such is the case with potatoes and tomatoes. The former saw a jump of 313%, to US$10 million, while the latter increased by less (18%), to US$9 million.
Finally, shelled cashew nuts, whose purchases fell 3%, and in eleventh place are pistachios, also shelled. Imports of this star ingredient of Dubai chocolate increased 134%, to US$8 million.
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