Sustained growth: exports of non-mining goods increase by 9.6%

The dynamism of non-mining goods exports in Colombia stood out significantly in the first ten months of the year, reaching a growth of 9.6% compared to the same period last year. In this article we tell you how much their value increased and what was the volume exported, as well as which were the most outstanding sectors.

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Increase in value and volume exported
Between January and October, exports of non-mining goods totaled US$18,052.1 million, exceeding the US$16,471 million recorded in the same period of 2023. This increase also translated into a growth in the volume exported, reaching 7.6 million tons, 9.8% more than the previous year, according to figures from the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism and the DANE report.
Luis Carlos Reyes Hernández, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, highlighted this positive performance and reiterated the government’s commitment to increase foreign sales of high value-added goods. “Countries that have developed rapidly have done so through high value-added exports. Our priority is to continue strengthening sectors such as health, agribusiness, energy transition and defense of life,” he said.
Important sectors for the growth of non-mining exports
The performance of non-mining goods exports in Colombia continues to demonstrate their relevance as an engine of economic growth. Within this category, the industrial and agricultural sectors stand out for their significant contribution to the volume and value of total exports.
These segments not only strengthen the national economy, but also reflect the country’s capacity to diversify its export offer and position itself in international markets. The following is an analysis of the contribution of these key sectors and the products that have led this sustained growth.

Industrial exports
The industrial sector leads the basket of non-mining goods, representing 62 % of total exports. In this segment, an increase of 4.8 % was observed, driven by products such as:
- Electrical transformers (+76.1 %).
- Plastics and their manufactures (+10.6%).
- Insecticides (+11.7%).
- Beauty preparations (+22.9%).
- Chocolates, candies and confectionery (+3.2%).
- Ice cream, including cocoa (+24 %).
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Agricultural exports
The agricultural sector also recorded remarkable growth, with an increase of 18.6 % compared to the previous year and representing 37.8 % of non-mining exports. Some products that stood out were:
- Coffee (+17 %).
- Flowers (+12.9%).
- Bananas (+44.5%).
- Hass avocado (+47.9%).
- Tahitian lemon (+58.6 %).
- Gulupa (+15.8%).
Success of the cocoa sector
Cocoa and cocoa preparations consolidated their position as an engine of growth, with exports of non-mining goods reaching US$216.8 million, representing an increase of 104.7%. This performance evidences the impact of products processed from cocoa beans, which are gaining greater participation in international markets.
Contribution from the regions
Several regions of Colombia contributed significantly to the growth of exports of non-mining goods. The departments that stood out the most were:
- Antioquia: +9.2 %.
- Bolívar: +11.2 %.
- Caldas: +7.2 %.
- Huila: +37.6 %.
- Risaralda: +58.8 %.
- Magdalena: +13.9 %.
This performance reinforces the role of the regions in diversifying the economy and strengthening exports.

Future outlook
The government’s focus on promoting the reindustrialization of the country and strengthening sectors such as agribusiness and the energy transition augurs well for non-mining exports. These efforts seek not only to increase the value added of exported products, but also to consolidate Colombia as a relevant player in the international trade of goods with greater sophistication and competitiveness.