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A country’s ability to compete in international markets is also reflected in the complexity of the goods it produces and exports. From this perspective, El Salvador stands out in Central America for the level of sophistication of its export offerings, supported by a production structure that includes manufacturing, sectoral diversity, and participation in regional value chains.
COEXPORT conducted an analysis using data platforms such as Trade Map (ITC, 2025) and The Atlas of Economic Complexity. It ranks El Salvador—alongside Panama—among the countries with the highest economic complexity in Central America; both hold a score of 0.36 on the Economic Complexity Index (ECI). They are followed by Costa Rica (0.34), Guatemala (0.07), Honduras (-0.29), and Nicaragua (-0.90).
The ECI provides an approximation of the knowledge and production capabilities associated with the goods a country can produce and export. A higher level of complexity reflects a production structure with capabilities that enable the development of more sophisticated products and the ability to compete in international markets with more demanding requirements.
In El Salvador’s case, this result is reflected in the composition of its export offerings, where manufacturing plays a significant role and various production sectors coexist.
An export offering with a strong industrial component
For this comparison, exports are grouped according to the international Harmonized System (HS) classification, which categorizes goods based on their characteristics and nature. This methodology facilitates the comparison of countries’ export baskets and helps determine which categories carry the most weight in each economy.
El Salvador’s five leading export categories are knitted apparel, and plastic articles, electrical machinery and equipment, paper and paperboard, and mineral fuels.
Four of these five categories consist of manufactured goods. This composition demonstrates the ability of salvadoran companies to develop industrial processes and place finished goods in international markets. It also highlights a significant feature: the top five categories span five distinct sectors—textiles, plastics, electronics, paper, and fuels—contributing to a diversified export structure.
The largest category, knitted apparel, accounts for 22.4% of El Salvador’s export basket.
“These data show that El Salvador possesses a production structure capable of generating manufactured goods and competing across various sectors of international markets. The sophistication of our export offering is a strength we must continue to develop”, said Silvia Cuéllar, President of the Corporación de Exportadores de El Salvador (COEXPORT),.
Diversification strengthens the export offering
The sophistication of El Salvador’s export offering is complemented by a diversified structure. The top five categories account for 48.4% of the country’s exports and represent distinct sectors.
This characteristic sets El Salvador apart within the region. In Nicaragua, the top five categories account for 72.4% of exports; in Costa Rica, 71.5%; in Honduras, 63.2%; and in Panama, 53.5%.
Guatemala shows a concentration of 43.9%—like El Salvador’s—though its structure relies heavily on agricultural products such as coffee, fruit, and sugar. In Costa Rica, for instance, medical and optical instruments alone account for 47.7% of exports.
In contrast, El Salvador’s export mix combines various manufacturing activities. This diversity enables companies to participate in different markets and supply chains, creating a production base capable of responding to diverse international demand opportunities.
“A diversified export basket is a strength because it allows for capacity building across different sectors and expands opportunities for integration into the global market. El Salvador has a foundation that can continue to evolve toward higher value-added products and new markets”, Cuéllar said.
Sectors demonstrating competitiveness
The sophistication of salvadoran exports can also be observed in specific sectors that are part of regional production chains.
In the textile sector, El Salvador exported US$1.442 billion in 2025, representing 22.4% of its export basket. The country is part of a consolidated Central American textile platform under CAFTA-DR, alongside Honduras (US$2.965 billion in exports), Nicaragua (US$1.490 billion), and Guatemala (US$1.408 billion). The United States is the primary destination market for this platform.
El Salvador’s participation in this industry reflects accumulated capabilities in manufacturing, production processes, logistics, and compliance with international standards. Another example is found in machinery and electrical equipment, a category that ranks among the top exports for five of the six countries on the isthmus.
In this sector, El Salvador exported US$442 million, while Honduras reached US$1.822 billion; Panama, US$1.514 billion; Costa Rica, US$953 million; and Nicaragua, US$893 million. Participation in this type of manufacturing demonstrates El Salvador’s integration into regional chains linked to assembly and electronic components, alongside larger-scale economies.
Guatemala is the exception in this group, as its main exports are coffee (US$1.770 billion) and fruit (US$1.737 billion).
A productive base for continued growth
A regional comparison shows that the sophistication of El Salvador’s export offering is underpinned by concrete productive capabilities. The country combines manufacturing, sectoral diversity, and participation in regional chains that serve international markets.
This foundation represents an opportunity to continue moving toward higher value-added products, expanding presence in new markets, and strengthening the participation of more companies in international value chains.
The next step is to leverage existing capabilities to generate new opportunities for export growth through innovation, productive development, market diversification, and the sophistication of export offering.
“These data confirm something we at COEXPORT have been observing for some time: El Salvador possesses productive capabilities that enable it to compete in sophisticated and diversified sectors. As a country, our focus must be on strengthening that foundation, driving innovation, and enabling more companies to integrate into higher-value international markets and supply chains”, concluded Cuéllar.
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