The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Nicaraguan global shipments during 2016. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Nicaragua.

1. Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: US$1.2 billion (22.6% of total exports)
2. Electrical machinery, equipment: $1.1 billion (21.1%)
3. Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): $437.1 million (8.3%)
4. Coffee, tea, spices: $434.6 million (8.3%)
5. Gems, precious metals: $417.9 million (7.9%)
6. Meat: $326.2 million (6.2%)
7. Fish: $287.6 million (5.5%)
8. Tobacco, manufactured substitutes: $190.4 million (3.6%)
9. Dairy, eggs, honey: $133.6 million (2.5%)
10. Sugar, sugar confectionery: $104.4 million (2%)

Knit or crochet clothing and accessories was the fastest-growing among the top 10 export categories, up from a comparatively tiny $244,000 in 2009.

In second place for improving export sales was unknit and non-crocheted clothing and accessories which rose 92,711%.

Nicaraguan electrical machinery and equipment posted the third-fastest gain in value which appreciated 17,529%.

The slowest grower among the top 10 Nicaraguan export categories was dairy, eggs and honey which improved by a modest 3.8%.

The following types of Nicaraguan product shipments represent positive net exports or a trade balance surplus. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports.

In a nutshell, net exports is the amount by which foreign spending on a home country’s goods or services exceeds or lags the home country’s spending on foreign goods or services.

1. Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: US$1.1 billion (Down by -8959.1% since 2009)
2. Electrical machinery, equipment: $443.4 million (Down by -289.6%)
3. Coffee, tea, spices: $432.2 million (Up by 84.6%)
4. Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): $421.9 million (Down by -2483.9%)
5. Gems, precious metals: $414.4 million (Up by 351%)
6. Meat: $309.8 million (Up by 33.2%)
7. Fish: $274.8 million (Up by 154.6%)
8. Tobacco, manufactured substitutes: $138.9 million (Up by 7255.4%)
9. Sugar, sugar confectionery: $83.8 million (Up by 52.5%)
10. Oil seeds: $81.1 million (Up by 14%)
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    Nicaragua has highly positive net exports in the international trade of apparel. In turn, these cashflows indicate Nicaragua’s strong competitive advantages under both the knit or unknit and crochet or non-crochet clothing and accessories categories.

Overall, Nicaragua incurred a -$17.2 million trade deficit for 2016 down -99.2% from -$2.1 billion deficit during 2009.

Below are exports from Nicaragua that result in negative net exports or product trade balance deficits. These negative net exports reveal product categories where foreign spending on home country Nicaragua’s goods trail Nicaraguan importer spending on foreign products.

1. Machinery including computers: -US$497.8 million (Up by 142.7% since 2009)
2. Vehicles : -$396.2 million (Up by 124%)
3. Mineral fuels including oil: -$326.2 million (Down by -57%)
4. Knit or crochet fabric: -$274 million (Up by 31,540%)
5. Plastics, plastic articles: -$237.5 million (Up by 111.4%)
6. Cotton: -$126.8 million (Up by 7,942%)
7. Cereals: -$119.9 million (Up by 8.6%)
8. Pharmaceuticals: -$119.4 million (Down by -59.1%)
9. Paper, paper items: -$118.7 million (Up by 26%)
10. Iron, steel: -$115.5 million (Up by 41.1%)

Nicaragua has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits under the machinery including computers category.

Nicaraguan Export Companies

Not one Nicaraguan corporation ranks among Forbes Global 2000 for 2016.

Wikipedia lists exports-related companies from Nicaragua. Selected examples are shown below:

• Compañía Cervecera de Nicaragua (brewery)
• ECAMI (alternative energy)
• El Castillo del Cacao (chocolate)
• Flor de Caña (rum)
• Gelateria Italiana (ice cream)
• Joya de Nicaragua (cigars)
• Kola Shaler Industrial (soft drinks)