El Salvador’s export sector experienced a 5.7% increase in the first two months of 2025, reaching a total of $1.097 billion. According to the Central Reserve Bank (BCR), this marks a recovery from previous months’ contractions, which were influenced by global economic challenges and supply chain disruptions.
In January alone, export growth was recorded at 2.8%, with the pace accelerating in February. This represents an additional $59.3 million compared to the same period in 2024, when exports totaled $1.037 billion.
The United States remained the leading destination for Salvadoran goods, importing $350 million, which accounted for 31.9% of total exports. Meanwhile, Central American nations and the Dominican Republic collectively received 55.7% of the exports, led by Guatemala ($233.3 million), Honduras ($185.2 million), Nicaragua ($98.4 million), Costa Rica ($52.4 million), Panama ($20.4 million), and the Dominican Republic ($19.7 million).
Food processing emerged as the top-performing sector, generating $230.5 million in sales. Other key industries included apparel manufacturing ($167 million), general manufacturing ($117.7 million), rubber and plastic products ($96.8 million), and textiles ($66.1 million). By product, T-shirts and knitwear were the most exported, contributing $84.5 million, followed by sugar ($68.9 million), plastic materials ($52.4 million), sweaters ($49.5 million), and toilet paper ($34.4 million). Additional notable exports included non-alcoholic beverages, pharmaceuticals, bakery goods, hosiery, and electrical capacitors.
BCR data further revealed that 1,384 Salvadoran companies participated in exports, shipping products to over 50 countries worldwide.
Imports
On the import side, El Salvador purchased $2.763 billion worth of goods during the same period. The primary sources of these imports were the United States, China, Guatemala, Mexico, and Honduras.
Key imported goods included hydrocarbons, petroleum-derived oils, natural gas, pharmaceuticals, mobile phones, and passenger vehicles. In terms of classification, consumer goods accounted for $1.146 billion, intermediate goods for $1.063 billion, capital goods for $493.2 million, and maquila-related imports for $60.3 million.