Year over year, Honduras spent 45.9% more than the $8 billion in Honduran imports during 2020.
The 5 largest products imported into the Honduras by value are refined petroleum oils, medication mixes in dosage, plated or coated products made from flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel, trucks and cars. Combined, that quintet of most valuable imports accounted for over one-quarter (26.3%) of overall Honduran spending on products imported during 2021.
Where Honduras’ Main Imports Come From
The latest available country-specific data shows that 83.7% of products imported into the Honduras were furnished by suppliers in: United States of America (34.3% of the Honduran total), mainland China (17.9%), Mexico (7.6%), Guatemala (5.6%), El Salvador (4.4%), Costa Rica (3.6%), Brazil (1.9%), Russia (1.84%), Japan (1.77%), India (1.72%), Germany (1.6%) and Colombia (1.5%).
From a continental perspective and based on 2020 data, 42.5% of total Honduran imports by value were purchased from North American countries. Trade partners in Asia supplied 26.9% of import purchases into the Honduras while another 22% worth of goods originated from providers in Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.
Smaller percentage came from Europe (8.4%), Africa (0.13%) and Oceania (0.04%) led by New Zealand and Australia.
Given the Honduran population of 6.5 million people, its total $11.6 billion in 2021 imports translates to roughly $1,800 in yearly product demand from every person in the Central American country.
Honduras Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Honduras import purchases during 2021. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Honduras.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$1.7 billion (14.4% of total imports)
- Vehicles: $915.6 million (7.9%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $858.9 million (7.4%)
- Machinery including computers: $849.6 million (7.3%)
- Iron, steel: $724.2 million (6.2%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $684.3 million (5.9%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $580.2 million (5%)
- Cereals: $380.3 million (3.3%)
- Miscellaneous food preparations: $347.5 million (3%)
- Food industry waste, animal fodder: $322.4 million (2.8%)
Honduras’ top 10 imports generated nearly three-fifths (57.8%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
Purchases of iron and steel metals by Honduran importers demonstrated the fastest-growth in value among the top 10 import categories, up by 102.9% from 2020 to 2021.
In second place for expanding imports into the Honduras were vehicles thanks to a 94% increase.
Honduran imports of plastics, including both materials and articles made from plastic, delivered the third-fastest year-over-year advance (up 57.1%).
The most modest annual increase among the top categories was the food industry waste and animal fodder product category via an 18.1% expansion compared to 2020.
Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level. Information presented in the paragraphs below is at the more granular 4-digit level.
Top Fuel Products Imported into Honduras
Honduran importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.
- Processed petroleum oils: US$1.6 billion (up 48.7% from 2020)
- Petroleum gases: $59.5 million (up 110.6%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $29.3 million (up 273.1%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $4.9 million (up 124%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $1.5 million (up 86.8%)
- Asphalt/petroleum bitumen mixes: $1.3 million (up 536.5%)
- Peat: $1.1 million (up 12.4%)
- High-temperature distilled coal tar oils: $119,000 (down -15.6%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $46,000 (up 130%)
- Natural bitumen, asphalt, shale: $5,000 (down -75%)
Among these import subcategories, Honduras’ purchases of asphalt or petroleum bitumen mixes (up 536.5%), petroleum oil residues (up 273.1%) then coke or semi-coke (up 130%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported fossil fuel-related products among Honduran businesses and consumers.
Top Vehicles Products Imported into Honduras
Honduran importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles-related products.
- Trucks: US$327.6 million (up 97% from 2020)
- Cars: $257.5 million (up 91%)
- Motorcycles: $134.2 million (up 115%)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $93.3 million (up 76.3%)
- Tractors: $32.5 million (up 111.7%)
- Motorcycle parts/accessories: $17.4 million (up 75%)
- Trailers: $15.5 million (up 87.3%)
- Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $14.6 million (up 182%)
- Public-transport vehicles: $11.5 million (up 1.2%)
- Special purpose vehicles: $7.6 million (up 204.9%)
Among these import subcategories, Honduras’ purchases of special purpose vehicles (up 204.9%), bicycles including other non-motorized cycles (up 182%) then motorcycles (up 115%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported vehicles among Honduran businesses and consumers.
Top Electrical Products Imported into Honduras
Honduran importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronic equipment including smartphones.
- Phone devices including smartphones: US$239.4 million (up 23.9% from 2020)
- TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $130.6 million (up 129.8%)
- Insulated wire/cable: $94.4 million (up 65.2%)
- Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $45.3 million (up 119.8%)
- Electric storage batteries: $43.5 million (up 19%)
- Electrical converters/power units: $37.4 million (up 36.5%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $31.6 million (up 60.5%)
- Unrecorded sound media: $23.3 million (up 28.7%)
- Filament/discharge lamps: $22.4 million (up 36.2%)
- Electric motors, generators: $20.9 million (up 66.4%)
Among these import subcategories, Honduras’ purchases of television receivers, monitors and projectors (up 129.8%), electric water heaters or hair dryers (up 119.8%) then electric motors and generators (up 66.4%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among Honduran businesses and consumers.
Top Machinery Products Imported into Honduras
Honduran importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machines including computers.
- Computers, optical readers: US$112.1 million (up 70.9% from 2020)
- Refrigerators, freezers: $102.7 million (up 91%)
- Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $53.6 million (up 160.6%)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $38.7 million (up 58.5%)
- Piston engine parts: $37.5 million (up 36.5%)
- Liquid pumps and elevators: $35.9 million (up 49.9%)
- Air or vacuum pumps: $32.1 million (up 39.9%)
- Printing machinery: $31.5 million (up 66.6%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $29.3 million (up 58.4%)
- Air conditioners: $28.7 million (up 11.8%)
Among these import subcategories, Honduras’ purchases of heavy machinery such as bulldozers, excavators and road rollers (up 160.6%), refrigerators or freezers (up 91.4%) then computers including optical readers: (up 70.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among Honduran businesses and consumers.
See also Honduras Top 10 Exports, El Salvador’s Top 10 Exports, Coffee Exports by Country, Bananas Exports by Country and Palm Oil Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles. Accessed on August 2, 2022
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on August 2, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on August 2, 2022
