Manufacturing, fishery and aquaculture exports accounted for most of the 60% increase in sales from Chile to Panama between 2016 and 2017.

Exports in the fishing sector include salmon and trout, which grew by 46% in the period in question, going from $6.2 million in 2016 to $9 million in 2017, according to figures from a report by the country’s South American trade promotion body, ProChile.

Laestrella.com.pa points out that the report states that “… Within the main subsectors of manufacturing are containers and packaging, whose exports last year exceeded $4 million, mainly explained by shipments of paper and cardboard containers ($1.2 million) and plastic containers ($1.2 million). Also noteworthy were shipments of plastics ($10.5 million) and various manufactures ($21 million).”

“… As for the agricultural macro-sector, this rose by 2%, to exceed $34.4 million in 2017, highlighting shipments such as fresh fruits ($10.8 million); and other agricultural products ($17.6 million). In the latter subgroup, increases in shipments of food preparations (+ 269.6%) and baby foods (+ 16.5%) were important. In the year 2017, exports totaled US $68,306.1 million, 12.7% above the level reached in 2016, with increases of 21.8% in mining and 5.5% in industry, and drop of 7.1% in agriculture, fruit growing, livestock, forestry and extractive fishing.“