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Original article: No solo petróleo: Venezuela reporta salto de 32% en exportaciones no petroleras

Venezuela has reported an impressive 32% increase in non-oil exports during the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025.

The Minister of Foreign Trade of the Caribbean nation, Johann Álvarez, stated that this figure is based on records from the National Integrated Customs and Tax Administration Service (SENIAT) for the first three months of this year.

«According to SENIAT data, we have experienced a growth of approximately 32% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to 2025. This is a significant number for the first quarter of the year,» Álvarez expressed in an interview with the state channel Venezolana de Televisión (VTV).

The Foreign Trade Minister elaborated that economic activity typically shows higher production levels in the middle and at the close of each year, estimating that this increase indicates that “as time goes by and we approach the end of the year, it will be even greater.”

According to the state secretary, the largest increase was seen in the international marketing of ferrous materials as raw materials, emphasizing that this rise reflects the recovery being experienced by basic industries in Venezuela.

He highlighted that Venezuela is not only exporting raw materials but also value-added products, such as rebar, pipes, and other industrial forms, contributing to the generation of greater wealth for the Caribbean country beyond the sale of oil on international markets.

Recently, Álvarez, who leads the Venezuelan Export Promotion Agency (Venexporta), met with Italy’s Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Edoardo Rixi, where they agreed that a business mission from the European country will visit Venezuela to identify investment opportunities in specific areas.

Additionally, last week, German entrepreneurs met with Venezuelan authorities in Caracas and expressed interest in acquiring seven products, three of which belong to strategic sectors: petrochemicals, fertilizers, and metals, along with four items on the list of key national export offerings, including coffee, cocoa, rum, and processed foods.

UNDP Predicts 6.9% Growth in Venezuela’s Non-Oil GDP

It is important to note that according to projections from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), a 6.9% growth in the non-oil gross domestic product (GDP) of Venezuela is expected for 2026.

The UN agency also anticipates a 50% increase in revenues from oil exportation.

In its report “Macroeconomic Performance of Venezuela – Fourth Quarter 2025 and Outlook for 2026,” published in April, it states that the oil activity of the Caribbean nation will grow by 11.5%, estimating a crude production of 1,211,000 barrels per day (bpd), which represents a 12% rise (130,000 bpd) compared to the official figures recorded in 2025 when it averaged 1,081,000 bpd.

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