Honduras imported US$14.4 billion worth of products from around the globe in 2023.

That dollar amount results from a 57% increase in spending compared to $9.2 billion five years prior in 2019.

The 5 largest products imported into the Honduras by value are refined petroleum oils, medication mixes in dosage, trucks, cars and miscellaneous food preparations. Combined, that quintet of most valuable imports accounted for almost a third (31.6%) of overall Honduran spending on products imported during 2023.

Where Honduras’ Main Imports Come From

The latest available country-specific data shows that 82.2% of products imported into the Honduras was furnished by suppliers in: United States of America (35.4% of the Honduran total), mainland China (16.3%), Mexico (7.2%), Guatemala (5.3%), El Salvador (4.1%), Costa Rica (3.7%), Japan (2.3%), Brazil (2%), India (1.8%), Germany (1.47%), Thailand (1.46%) and Colombia (1.41%).

From a continental perspective, 43.4% of total Honduran imports by value were purchased from North American countries. Trade partners in Asia supplied 26.4% 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 suppliers located in Europe (7.6%), Africa (0.4%) and Oceania (0.1%) led by Australia and New Zealand.

Given the Honduran population of 10.5 million people, its total $14.4 billion in 2023 imports translates to roughly $1,400 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 2023. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Honduras.

1. Mineral fuels including oil: US$2.6 billion (18.1% of total imports)
2. Vehicles: $1.5 billion (10.4%)
3. Machinery including computers: $1.05 billion (7.3%)
4. Electrical machinery, equipment: $1.04 billion (7.2%)
5. Pharmaceuticals: $771.2 million (5.4%)
6. Iron, steel: $674.6 million (4.7%)
7. Plastics, plastic articles: $559.3 million (3.9%)
8. Miscellaneous food preparations: $455.6 million (3.2%)
9. Cereals: $455.2 million (3.2%)
10. Food industry waste, animal fodder: $430.5 million (3%)

Honduras’ top 10 imports generated about two-thirds (66.2%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.

Purchases of vehicles by Honduran importers showed the fastest-growth in value among the top 10 import categories, up by 127.9% from 2017 to 2023.

In second place for expanding imports into the Honduras was food industry waste and animal fodder thanks to a 96.3% increase.

Honduran imports of the metals iron and steel delivered the third-fastest year-over-year advance, up 87.8%.

The most modest annual increase among the top categories was for plastics both as materials and items made from plastic via a still respectable 37.4% expansion compared to 2019.

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.

1. Processed petroleum oils: US$2.5 billion (up 61.1% from 2019)
2. Petroleum gases: $49.5 million (up 55%)
3. Petroleum oil residues: $32.3 million (down -1%)
4. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $3.1 million (up 49.2%)
5. Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $2 million (up 62.4%)
6. Peat: $1.1 million (up 12.7%)
7. Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $200,000 (down -11.1%)
8. Asphalt/petroleum bitumen mixes: $178,000 (down -77.7%)
9. Natural bitumen, asphalt, shale: $44,000 (2022 data unavailable)
10. Coke, semi-coke: $38,000 (up 90%)

Among these import subcategories, Honduras’ purchases of coke and semi-coke (up 90%), petroleum jelly and mineral waxes (up 62.4%) then processed petroleum oils (up 61.1%) grew at the fastest pace from 2019 to 2023.

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.

1. Trucks: US$560.6 million (up 162% from 2019)
2. Cars: $527.2 million (up 165.4%)
3. Motorcycles: $158.1 million (up 116.5%)
4. Automobile parts/accessories: $106.7 million (up 47.2%)
5. Tractors: $48.1 million (up 61.8%)
6. Public-transport vehicles: $30.4 million (up 40.5%)
7. Trailers: $27.3 million (up 34.4%)
8. Motorcycle parts/accessories: $16.7 million (up 56.2%)
9. Special purpose vehicles: $10.5 million (up 50.9%)
10. Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $6.5 million (up 10.2%)

Among these import subcategories, Honduras’ purchases of cars (up 165.4%), trucks (up 162%) then motorcycles (up 116.5%) grew at the fastest pace from 2019 to 2023.

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 Machinery Products Imported into Honduras

Honduran importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machines including computers.

1. Refrigerators, freezers: US$113.6 million (up 71.9% from 2019)
2. Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $99.2 million (up 259%)
3. Computers, optical readers: $99 million (up 50.9%)
4. Air conditioners: $52.6 million (up 60.6%)
5. Air or vacuum pumps: $43.5 million (up 46.1%)
6. Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $43 million (up 34.4%)
7. Liquid pumps and elevators: $41.5 million (up 35.5%)
8. Printing machinery: $38.2 million (up 35.8%)
9. Washing machines: $37.2 million (up 146.1%)
10. Piston engine parts: $36 million (up 16.5%)

Among these import subcategories, Honduras’ purchases of heavy machinery including bulldozers, excavators and road rollers (up 259%), washing machines (up 146.1%) then refrigerators and freezers (up 71.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2019 to 2023.

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.

Top Electrical Products Imported into Honduras

Honduran importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronic equipment including smartphones.

1. Phone devices including smartphones: US$287.6 million (up 16.9% from 2019)
2. TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $127.1 million (up 42.6%)
3. Insulated wire/cable: $120.4 million (up 81.3%)
4. Electrical converters/power units: $53.5 million (up 11.3%)
5. Electric storage batteries: $50.5 million (up 54.4%)
6. Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $48.3 million (up 73.7%)
7. Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $46.6 million (up 354.8%)
8. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $38.2 million (up 57.3%)
9. Unrecorded sound media: $28.5 million (up 10.4%)
10. Electric generating sets, converters: $27.8 million (up 83%)

Among these import subcategories, Honduras’ purchases of solar power diodes and semi-conductors (up 354.8%), electric generating sets and converters (up 83%) then insulated wire or cable (up 81.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2019 to 2023.

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.
 

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 September 27, 2024

International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on September 27, 2024

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on September 27, 2024