A. M. Imports of goods in El Salvador reached an impressive US$8,681.6 million between january and june 2025, marking a significant growth of 11.5% in value and 7.3% in volume, according to data from the Banco Central de Reserva. This increase reflects robust economic activity and growing domestic demand in the country.
The increase was widespread across various categories. Consumer goods grew 14.3%, totaling US$3,547.8 million, while intermediate goods grew 8.8%, reaching US$3,328.6 million. These data underscore greater purchasing power and an expansion of production chains.
A notable aspect is the 14.9% increase in imports of capital goods, totaling US$1,605.2 million. This growth was driven primarily by the manufacturing industry, with an increase of US$81 million (21.7%). The trade and construction sectors also showed dynamism, with increases of 51.8% and 40.8% respectively.
The products experiencing the greatest growth were medical, surgical, and dental instruments and appliances (78.9%), computers (64.2%), and air conditioners (50.7%). This pattern suggests modernization and technological advancement in various productive and service sectors in El Salvador.
Imports of automotive parts and accessories (26.4%) and buses and vehicles (5.7%) also contributed to growth, with the latter accounting for the largest share of capital goods. This indicates a renewal of the vehicle fleet and investment in transportation.
Despite the overall growth, the oil bill experienced a 9.1% drop in value, reaching US$1.128 billion, although the imported volume grew by 1%. This trend may reflect greater energy efficiency or a diversification of sources, benefiting the country’s trade balance.
