A landlocked South American country surrounded by Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia, Paraguay shipped US$12.3 billion worth of exported products around the world in 2025.

That dollar amount results from a 16.4% increase compared to $10.6 billion five years earlier during 2021.

Year over year, the overall value of Paraguay’s exports accelerated by 13.9% from $10.8 billion in 2024.

Based on the average exchange rate for 2025, the Paraguayan guaraní appreciated by 10.2% against the US dollar since 2021 but diluted by -0.2% from 2024 to 2025. Paraguay’s stronger local currency compared to 2021 makes Paraguayan exports paid for in weaker US dollars relatively more expensive for international buyers starting from American dollars.

Best International Customers for Paraguayan Exports

The latest available country-specific data shows that 89.2% of products exported from Paraguay were bought by importers in: Brazil (35.1% of the Paraguayan total), Argentina (29.4%), Chile (8%), United States of America (4.8%), Taiwan (2.8%), Israel (2.1%), Uruguay (1.6%), Russia (1.3%), Netherlands (1.2%), India (1.05%), Bolivia (0.98%) and Peru (0.86%).

From a continental perspective, 76.8% of Paraguay exports by value was delivered to Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean countries while 9.4% was sold to Asian importers. Paraguay shipped another 5.9% worth of goods to buyers in North America.

Smaller percentages went to customers in Europe (5.8%), Africa (2%) then Oceania (0.1%) Australia and New Zealand only.

Given Paraguay’s population of 7 million people, its total US$12.3 billion in 2025 exports translates to about $1,750 for every resident in the South American nation. That per-capita dollar amount exceeds the average $1,550 one year earlier in 2024.

Paraguay’s Top 10 Exports

The following export product groups categorize the highest dollar value in Paraguayan global shipments during 2025 at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Paraguay.

1. Oil seeds: US$2.7 billion (21.6% of total exports)
2. Mineral fuels including oil: $2.4 billion (19.9%)
3. Meat: $2.2 billion (18.2%)
4. Cereals: $1.1 billion (9%)
5. Animal/vegetable fats, oils, waxes: $729.9 million (5.9%)
6. Food industry waste, animal fodder: $686.7 million (5.6%)
7. Electrical machinery, equipment: $438.4 million (3.6%)
8. Aluminum: $183.3 million (1.5%)
9. Other chemical goods: $143.7 million (1.2%)
10. Miscellaneous textiles, worn clothing: $101.9 million (0.8%)

Paraguay’s top 10 exports accounted for 87.2% of the overall value of Paraguayan shipments.

Mineral fuels including oil represent the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 111.7% from 2024 to 2025.

In second place for improving export sales was animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes which was up by 41.6%.

Paraguay’s shipments of cereals posted the third-fastest gain in value, up by 24% year over year.

The leading decliner among Paraguay’s top 10 export categories was oil seeds via a -22.1% reduction.

Drilling down to the more detailed 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level, Paraguay’s most lucrative exports in 2024 were electrical energy (19.9% of total Paraguayan exports), soya beans (19.1%), frozen beef (10.4%), fresh or chilled beef (6.6%), soya-bean oil (5%), soya-bean oil-cake and other solid residues (4.9%), corn (4.8%), insulated wire or cable (3.3%), rice (3%), then oil seeds (2.3%).

Products Generating Paraguay’s Greatest Trade Surpluses

The following types of Paraguayan 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 represent 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. Oil seeds: US$2.6 billion (Down by -22.4% since 2024)
2. Meat: $2.2 billion (Up by 20.6%)
3. Cereals: $1 billion (Up by 25.9%)
4. Animal/vegetable fats, oils, waxes: $667.9 million (Up by 38.1%)
5. Food industry waste, animal fodder: $599.8 million (Up by 2%)
6. Mineral fuels including oil: $408.6 million (Reversing a -$1.1 billion deficit)
7. Miscellaneous textiles, worn clothing: $64.6 million (Up by 10.4%)
8. Wood: $62.7 million (Down by -5%)
9. Raw hides, skins not furskins, leather: $28.8 million (Down by -30.4%)
10. Textile floor coverings: $17.7 million (Up by 24.2%)

Paraguay has highly positive net exports in the international trade of oil seeds, meat and cereals. Oil seeds represent products used for making edible oils and producing biodiesel. It also serves as high protein animal feed. Positive cashflows indicate Paraguay’s strong competitive advantages under the related product categories.

Products Causing Paraguay’s Greatest Trade Deficits

Paraguay incurred a total -US$6.8 billion trade deficit for 2025, an 18.5% expansion from the -$5.8 billion in red ink one year earlier during 2024.

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

1. Electrical machinery, equipment: -US$3.2 billion (Up by 24.1% since 2024)
2. Machinery including computers: -$2.3 billion (Up by 13.4%)
3. Vehicles: -$1.7 billion (Up by 9.4%)
4. Fertilizers: -$741.4 million (Up by 9.3%)
5. Plastics, plastic articles: -$537.7 million (Up by 10.8%)
6. Perfumes, cosmetics: -$486.1 million (Up by 49.6%)
7. Pharmaceuticals: -$457.3 million (Up by 13.3%)
8. Rubber, rubber articles: -$425.8 million (Up by 0.03%)
9. Other chemical goods: -$402.4 million (Down by -20.7%)
10. Organic chemicals: -$397.3 million (Up by 16.3%)

Paraguay has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits for electronics-related goods including consumer electronics.

These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate Paraguay’s competitive disadvantages in the international electronics market, but also represent key opportunities for Paraguay to improve its position in the global economy through focused innovations.

Paraguay’s Exports Companies

According to Wikipedia, the following companies are examples of leading Paraguayan companies.

• Banco Amambay (bank)
• Funcionale (electronics company)
• Itaú Unibanco (bank)
• Petróleos Paraguayos (oil and gas company)
• TAM Airlines (airliner)

 
In macroeconomic terms, Paraguay’s total exported goods represent 9% of its overall Gross Domestic Product for 2025 ($136.4 billion valued in Purchasing Power Parity US dollars). That 9% for exports to overall GDP in PPP for 2025 compares to 8.4% for 2024. Those percentages suggest a relatively increasing reliance on products sold on international markets for Paraguay’s total economic performance, albeit based on a very short timeframe.

Another key indicator of a country’s economic performance is its unemployment rate. Paraguay’s unemployment rate averaged 5.692% in 2025, down from an average 5.807% for 2024 according to International Monetary Fund statistics.

Paraguay’s capital city is Asunción, of which the metropolitan area is home to nearly a third of the country’s population.

See also Brazil’s Top 10 Imports, Brazil’s Top Trading Partners, Argentina’s Top 10 Imports and Top South American Export Countries

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on March 12, 2026

EXCHANGE-RATES.org, Paraguay Guarani (PYG) To US Dollar (USD) Exchange Rates History. Accessed on March 12, 2026

Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on March 12, 2026

International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on March 12, 2026

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on March 12, 2026

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on March 12, 2026

Wikipedia, Companies of Paraguay by industry. Accessed on March 12, 2026

Wikipedia, Gross domestic product. Accessed on March 12, 2026

Wikipedia, Purchasing power parity. Accessed on March 12, 2026