El Salvador posts record first‑half trade deficit since 1994 as coffee exports hit 13‑year high

El Salvador’s balance of payments for January‑June 2026 recorded a $5.92 billion deficit, the largest in a first half since the Central Reserve Bank began tracking the data in 1994. Exports totaled $3.40 billion, up 4.1% year‑on‑year, while imports rose 8.8% to $9.32 billion, widening the gap by 11.6% from the same period in 2025. The United States remained the main trade partner, supplying $2.51 billion of imports and buying $1.11 billion of Salvadoran goods, creating a $1.41 billion deficit with the U.S. that grew 20.4% over the prior year. China was the second‑largest supplier at $1.84 billion and the eighth‑largest buyer at $55.2 million.

In the same period, Salvadoran coffee exports reached a 13‑year revenue peak of $146.9 million, a 25.9% increase from the first half of 2025. The United States accounted for $90.8 million (61.8% of total), while European markets such as Belgium, Italy and the United Kingdom bought smaller shares. Export volumes rose 11.9% to 457,623 quintals, but the price per quintal climbed 12.5% to $321.20, driving the revenue surge despite modest volume growth.