The country's trade balance reaches a record surplus of US$ 17.634 billion in January 2024.

The Central Reserve Bank (BCR) of our country has recently reported a cumulative surplus in the trade balance of US$ 17.634 billion in the last twelve months up to January 2024. These data reveal a significant increase compared to the previous month, where the surplus reached US$ 17.401 billion. It is important to highlight that in January 2024, a monthly surplus of US$ 1.473 billion was recorded, representing an increase of US$ 233 million compared to the same month of the previous year. The BCR report also indicates that exports in January increased by 9.4% compared to the same month in 2023, reaching a total of US$ 5.382 billion. This growth is mainly attributed to an 8.4% increase in volumes, as well as a positive price effect of 1.0%. It is important to mention that this increase in exports has been driven by various factors, including a base effect related to transportation issues experienced in January 2023. On the other hand, imports have also experienced an increase in January 2024, reaching US$ 3.908 billion and surpassing by 6.2% the figures recorded in the same month of the previous year. This increase is mainly due to the rise in volumes of capital goods and industrial inputs, which have managed to offset the continued decline in the prices of some products. This positive outlook in the trade balance and the dynamism observed in exports and imports in January 2024 suggest an encouraging scenario for regional economies throughout this year. It is projected that regional economies will experience further growth and dynamism, driven by the increase in exports and the recovery in imports of key goods for industrial and productive development. In this context, it is essential that economic authorities and private sector actors continue to work on policies that promote foreign trade and foster a conducive environment for commercial exchange. Market diversification, improvement in the competitiveness of local products, and investment in infrastructure are some of the measures that could further strengthen the performance of regional economies during the current year.