A. M. 
The Banco Central de Reserva de El Salvador (BCR) informed that the country’s exports reached a total of US$6,447.5 million at the end of 2024, reflecting a slight decrease of 0.8% with respect to the US$6,498.1 million registered in 2023.
This decrease in the total value of foreign sales was particularly evident in the month of december, when exports totaled US$449.61 million, down from the US$555.44 million reported in november.
Despite the decrease in value, the volume of exported goods showed remarkable growth, reaching 3,476.8 million kilograms, 2.6% more than in the previous year. This increase reflects a greater dynamism in domestic production, although it did not necessarily translate into a proportional increase in revenues due to factors such as international prices or changes in demand.
The maquila sector and coffee were the main drivers of salvadoran exports in 2024. These products, together with the manufacturing industry, had a significant impact on total figures. In december, the manufacturing industry led foreign sales with a value of US$392.40 million, while coffee and sugars contributed US$3.52 million and US$2.79 million, respectively.
The BCR report highlighted that, despite the drop in overall value, the diversification of exported products and the increase in volume represent opportunities to strengthen the Salvadoran economy. However, the challenge remains to improve export prices and open new markets to optimize revenues.
