Ilustración conceptual original de Radar Inversión
Industry and Maquila · Updated October 16, 2026 · January–September figures
Paraguay's maquila manufacturers exported USD 1.148 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 25% year on year, according to figures published October 15 by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC) and the National Council of Export Maquila Industries (CNIME). September alone contributed USD 139 million. These figures refer to January–September, not September alone.
Four industries account for 69% of shipments
Automotive parts, garments, beverages and alcoholic drinks, and aluminum manufactures represented a combined 69% of cumulative shipments. This specialization provides scale but also creates exposure to demand fluctuations in a limited set of industries.
Mercosur accounts for 74% of destinations
Mercosur countries, chiefly Brazil and Argentina, received 74% of exports through September. Regional supply-chain integration offers commercial opportunities but also highlights the need to diversify export markets.
Employment and geography
The MIC reported 36,382 jobs associated with maquila at the end of September, up 4% from a year earlier. Garments accounted for 8,431 positions and automotive parts for 7,865; intangible services represented 3,989, plastics 2,985 and chemicals/pharmaceuticals 2,583. Alto Paraná, Central, Amambay and Asunción are home to 92% of approved-program companies.
Imports and exports are not the same as value added
Input imports reached USD 605 million in January–September, up 20% year on year. The arithmetic difference relative to USD 1.148 billion in exports is USD 543 million, but this is not a measure of Paraguayan domestic value added: other costs and production inputs are not captured by that subtraction.
Why central bank data differ
The Central Bank of Paraguay (BCP) reported USD 1,149.3 million of maquila exports, up 29%, whereas MIC/CNIME reported USD 1.148 billion and 25%. The statistical coverage, cutoffs or revisions may differ. Without official methodological reconciliation, those growth rates must not be combined or treated as equivalent. This article consistently uses the MIC/CNIME series.
Investment implications
Rising shipments may create opportunities for industrial maintenance, automation, packaging, logistics, certification, technical training and software suppliers. Actual returns depend on demand, operating costs, workforce, energy, rules of origin and access to markets.
Radar perspective: Paraguay's next industrial challenge is to convert export growth into diversified markets, stronger local supply chains and higher-skilled employment.
Sources and scope
Editorial analysis of public data, not investment advice. MIC/CNIME, October 15, 2026.
