Nicaragua’s trade deficit decreased by 20.2% in the first nine months of this year, compared to the same period in 2024, due to a greater increase in exports over imports, the Nicaraguan Central Bank reported this Sunday in Managua.

RELATED:

China Seeks to Improve Ties With Nicaragua

“The accumulated deficit to September was 1,701.7 million dollars, 20.2% lower than that of January-September 2024 (2,133.3 million),” the State issuing bank detailed in a report.

Total exports of goods and free zone goods to September totaled 6,813.9 million dollars, an increase of 15.8% compared to the same period in 2024, due to an increase in exports of goods (27.6%) and in exports from free trade zones (1.6%), he specified.

The growth of merchandise exports was supported by the increase in mining exports (49.2%), agricultural exports (43.1%), and the manufacturing industry (4.3%), he pointed out.

For its part, the increase in exports from free trade zones was due to higher exports of harnesses (7.6%), textiles (2.3%), fruits and vegetables (13%), among others, offset by decreases in processed fish products (-37.3%), and palm oil (-23.5%), according to the information.

Meanwhile, imports of goods and free zone goods to September 2025 totaled 8,515.6 million dollars, 6.2% more than those registered to September 2024, he indicated.

This result was a consequence of the 7.1% increase in merchandise imports and 2.9% in imports of raw materials for the free zone industries, the monetary entity explained.

Nicaragua closed 2024 with a deficit in its trade balance of 3,058.5 million dollars, 24.6% more than that registered a year earlier.

That trade deficit represented 17.2% of Nicaragua’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2024, according to official data.

IN THIS ARTICLE