An increase in non- traditional exports offset the fall in foreign sales of traditional products.
According to the report entitled "Trends in Foreign Trade in 2013 in El Salvador" prepared by the Ministry of Economy (Minec) exports in 2013 totaled $5.491 billion, an increase of 2.8 % compared to 2012, when the total figure was $5.339 billion .
$3.908 billion worth of non-traditional products were exported last year, while in 2012 the figure was $3.765 billion. Exports of traditional products were down $42 million, totaling $424.9 million in 2013.
During 2013 foreign sales of 2 thousand tons generated revenues of $6.1 million.
Data from the Ministry of Economy (Minec) reveals that in recent years Salvadoran honey has gained ground especially in the European market. During 2013 foreign sales of the product generated revenues of $6.1 million, which is 29% more than in 2012, when $4.7 million worth was sold.
Sugar, coffee, fishmeal, plastics and paper products are the best selling products to the Asian island.
According to the Taiwanese Embassy in El Salvador during the first 11 months of 2013, exports from the Central American nation to Asian countries grew by 576 %. Among the products that are exported to Taiwan are sugar, coffee, fish meal, paper, cardboard, plastics.
During the first ten months of 2013 the difference between imports and exports grew by 8.5%, reaching $4.4142 billion.
From a press release issued by the Central Reserve Bank of El Salvador:
Salvadoran exports up to October 2013 amounted to $4.6659 billion, an increase of $161.7 million compared to the same period in 2012, showing a growth rate of 3.6% a year, according to the Department of Studies and Economic Statistics at the Central Reserve Bank of El Salvador.
At the end of the current crop, coffee exports in Latin America, excluding Brazil, totaled 29.3 million bags of 60 kilos.
The figures, provided by Anacafé exports include Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Colombia and Peru.
"Colombia had the best sales, registering an increase of 21.16% compared to the previous harvest.
During the 2013-14 harvest ending on October 31 490,000 metric tons of sugar were exported while in the previous harvest the amount was 412,000 MT.
According to the Sugar Association of El Salvador , the main destinations of the country's raw sugar are the USA, Chile, Russia, Taiwan and Canada. Meanwhile, the refined product is sold to the Netherlands, Chile, Taiwan and other Caribbean countries .
The Exporters Corporation has created a plan to increase exports to $10 billion a year within five years.
Entrepreneurs believe that if the correct measures are applied export earnings could double within five years. According to Pablo Duran, president of the Exporters Association of El Salvador (COEXPORT), the proposal gives potential annual growth of 20%.
During the first six months of 2013 the textile industry sold $1,140 million, $104 million more compared to the same period in 2012.
"The industry has performed well, and that means more jobs in El Salvador," said Doris de Rivera, an economist in charge of the study by the Chamber of Textile, Clothing and Free Zones Companies(CAMTEX).
According to the economist, the maquila subsector grew by 4% with revenues of $424 million, woven fabrics increased 22% with sales of $134 million and garment production rose by 9%.
With respect to the 2011-2012 harvest, sales from the current harvest have increased by 28% in Nicaragua, 7% in El Salvador, and 4% in Guatemala, while Honduras sold 16% less and Costa Rica's sales remained the same.
From a report by the National Coffee Association of Guatemala (Anacafé):
Coffee exports from nine Latin American countries, excluding Brazil, rose by 6.04% in the first 10 months of the current crop, which began in October 2012, said the National Coffee Association of Guatemala (Anacafé) yesterday.
In late 2012, one year after the signing of the new trade agreement, trade between Mexico and the region totaled $9.3 billion.
This information was released by the Mexican ambassador in San Salvador, Raul Lopez Lira. "On September 1 the Central American countries will celebrate the first anniversary of the unified treaty between Mexico and the region with a significant increase in trade ...", reported Laprensa.com.ni article.
During the first six months of 2013 foreign sales totaled $2.822 billion, $151 million more than in the same period in 2012.
From a press release issued by the Central Reserve Bank of El Salvador:
Total exports to June of this year amounted to $2822.2 million, up $150.6 million compared to the same period in 2012, the growth rate was 5.6% per year, with a gradual recovering its dynamism, informed the Office of Economic Studies and Statistics of the Central Reserve Bank of El Salvador.
The region's exports were worth $4.940 billion FOB, seeing an increase of 0.9% compared to exports recorded in the previous year.
CENTRAL AMERICA'S EXTERNAL TRADE
Newsletter: January-February 2013
The region's exports had an FOB value of U.S. $4.9398 billion in February 2013, noting an increase of 0.9% compared to exports recorded in the previous year (U.S. $4.8942 billion).
Exports from the region registered a FOB value of U.S. $2.478 billion, an increase of 5.7% compared to the $2.344 billion exported during the same month last year.
The categories of products that contributed to the performance of exports, classified by Chapter of the Central American Tariff System - SAC - which accounted for 59.9% (U.S. $1484.6 billion) of total exports, were:
Central American countries exported $27.3 billion FOB from January to November 2012, growing by 8.3% compared to the same period in 2011.
From a bulletin by the Secretariat of Central American Economic Integration (SIECA):
CENTRAL AMERICAN EXTERNAL TRADE
Newsletter: January-November 2012
Central America, March 6, 2013. The region's exports were worth U.S.FOB $27.355 billion during the months of January to November 2012, seeing an increase of 8.3% compared to exports recorded in the same period in 2011 (U.S. $25.262 billion).
In January 2013 maquila exports totalled $81.5 million, 16.5% higher than that recorded in the same month of 2012.
A statement from the Central Reserve Bank of El Salvador reads:
Exports of El Salvador: U.S. $478.0 million in January 2013
In January 2013, exports from El Salvador reached $478.0 million, up from the $29.3 million recorded in the same month of 2012, an increase of 6.5% annually.