El Salvador has achieved remarkable growth in its exports to China, the Philippines, and Egypt in 2024, with shipments to these countries registering increases of over 300% by November. Sugar products, particularly cane and beet sugar, have driven much of this surge.

Exports to China, a nation with which El Salvador has strengthened diplomatic and trade relations under President Nayib Bukele’s administration, reached $52.3 million by the end of November 2024, marking a 381.7% increase from $10.84 million in the same period of 2023. The most significant growth was in the volume of exports, soaring from 800,000 kilograms in November 2023 to an astonishing 82.8 million kilograms in November 2024—an increase of nearly 9,660%. Sugar accounted for the majority of this growth, with $38.5 million in shipments, followed by textiles and metals.

Minister of Economy María Luisa Hayem noted that negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China were progressing, which could further boost trade between the two nations. By November 2024, China had become El Salvador’s ninth-largest trading partner.

Egypt, another key growth market, saw a dramatic 279,391.6% increase in exports from El Salvador, rising from just $500 in November 2023 to $1.3 million in November 2024. This growth coincides with the upcoming opening of El Salvador’s embassy in Egypt in 2025, a move aimed at expanding bilateral relations and trade opportunities.

Exports to the Philippines also surged, with El Salvador recording $10.7 million in shipments, a growth of over 16,000%. The Philippines, like Egypt, showed strong demand for molasses.

In addition to these markets, El Salvador has seen strong export growth to countries such as the Czech Republic and India, with increases of 554.8% and 109.3%, respectively.

Silvia Cuéllar, President of the Salvadoran Corporation of Exporters (Coexport), emphasized the potential of new markets, stating that free trade agreements offer significant opportunities for Salvadoran exporters to expand into regions that have been underexplored in the past.

With these positive results, El Salvador is poised to continue diversifying and expanding its export markets in the coming years.