El Salvador exports total $4,547.59 million Year to Date, Down 8.34% for 2023

El Salvador Exported $539.60 Million in July 2023

By Eddie Galdamez  | Updated on Sep 22nd, 2023
El Salvador exports
Acajutla port in El Salvador. Image by CEPA

El Salvador’s exports year to date total $4,547.59 million. It represents a 8.34% decrease compared to the same 2022 period, equal to $413.77 million less, according to data from the Central Reserve Bank of El Salvador (BCR).

El Salvador exports in 2023 average $568.45 million per month, reaching a yearly high of $683.74 million in March. The average for 2022 was $592.93 million, with March being the highest month at $720.30 million in exports.

In August 2023, El Salvador exported $439.60 million of products, failing to surpass the $576.00 million shipped in August 2022; the country exported $36.4 million less (-6.32%) in August 2023 than in August 2022.

El Salvador Exports
2020 2021 2022 2023 Change
2022-2023
January 464.92 515.56 578.89 522.55 -9.73%
February 509.07 504.92 576.59 582.92 +1.10%
March 399.32 558.25 720.30 683.74 -5.08%
April 212.17 512.48 566.80 471.52 -16.81%
May 234.16 532.52 638.50 589.65 -7.65%
June 274.75 539.00 625.88 588.90 -5.91%
July 442.95 582.27 678.40 568.71 -16.17%
August 423.56 498.74 576.00 539.60 -6.32%
September 469.26 550.44 584.62
October 492.94 552.23 560.66
November 428.31 538.15 530.57
December 454.02 510.33 477.90
Totals 4,805.43 6,394.89 7,115.11 4,547.59 -8.34% YTD
Average 400.45 532.91 592.93 568.45

SEE ALSO: El Salvador Coffee Exports

The August 2023 exports were 5.12% less than the previous month, a decrease of $29.11 million. Year to date, only February has exported more than the same month in 2022.

Thus far, in 2023, the manufacturing and maquila industries total $4,316.39 million, or 94.92% of the total exported by the country.

The manufacturing sector is the largest exporter, with $3,515.85 million for 77.31% of the total. The Maquila industry is second, with $800.54 million in exports for 17.60% of the total.

The agriculture, livestock farming, forestry, and fishing sector exported $172.89 million (3.80% of the total) this year. It includes the coffee sector, which exported $131.72 million.

According to the financial entity, the products exported the most this year are knitted t-shirts and t-shirts, cane sugar, sweaters and vests, and plastic products.

El Salvador’s principal trading partner is the United States, followed by Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.

SEE ALSO: Imports to El Salvador