Promote:
Export from Panama
A short guide for companies selling from Panama: the export figures, the agreements and their limits, the main steps and who can help, each with its source.
1. What Panama sells, and who buys it
Goods exports
US$1.67 billion
Merchandise exports were US$1,667,955,602 in 2025 as UN Comtrade reports them for Panama, including re-exports.
Source: UN Comtrade, Panama exports by destination, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
Services exports
US$20.2 billion
Services exports were US$20,194.02 million in 2025, from the WTO, UNCTAD and ITC services data on UNCTADstat.
Source: UNCTADstat, trade in services by category (WTO-UNCTAD-ITC data) (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
Top goods exports
2025
- 1. Copper ore and concentrate (HS 2603)US$339.9 million
- 2. Gold (HS 7108)US$143.3 million
- 3. Shrimp and other crustaceans (HS 0306)US$132.6 million
- 4. Palm oil (HS 1511)US$78.6 million
- 5. Bananas (HS 0803)US$75.8 million
- 6. Ferrous scrap (HS 7204)US$57.3 million
- 7. Fresh or chilled fish (HS 0302)US$50.6 million
- 8. Medicines (HS 3004)US$49.6 million
Show 12 more products
- 9. Meat and fish meal (HS 2301)US$41.9 million
- 10. Coffee (HS 0901)US$37.7 million
- 11. Logs and roundwood (HS 4403)US$31.8 million
- 12. Cane sugar (HS 1701)US$30.8 million
- 13. Melons, watermelons and papayas (HS 0807)US$22.2 million
- 14. Frozen fish (HS 0303)US$21.9 million
- 15. Spirits and liqueurs (HS 2208)US$21.8 million
- 16. Cement (HS 2523)US$19.3 million
- 17. Aluminum scrap (HS 7602)US$17.3 million
- 18. Precious metal scrap (HS 7112)US$17.2 million
- 19. Frozen beef (HS 0202)US$14.8 million
- 20. Pineapples, avocados and mangoes (HS 0804)US$13.1 million
- Comtrade flow X includes re-exports, so the ranking is not domestic exports alone; re-exports were 20.9 percent of 2025 goods exports. Source (opens in a new tab)
- As of 2021, the WTO review leaves the Colón Free Zone's trade with other countries out of Panama's goods figures; this ranking does not show it either. Source (opens in a new tab)
- Copper ore and concentrate (HS 2603) is 20.4 percent of 2025 exports; since the 2023 court ruling, shipments come from stored concentrate and processing of stockpiled ore. Source (opens in a new tab)
Source: UN Comtrade, Panama exports by product, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
Where the goods go
2025, share of goods exports
- United States15.8%
- India7.6%
- Other Asia, not elsewhere specified7.6%
- Japan7.5%
- Bulgaria5%
- Netherlands4.4%
- Costa Rica4.3%
- South Korea3.8%
- Shares are of the 2025 total that Panama reports to UN Comtrade; the groupings left out are 7.3 percent of it. Source (opens in a new tab)
Source: UN Comtrade, Panama exports by destination, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
2. What to look into next
Our reading
The research marks shrimp and other crustaceans, bananas and fresh or chilled fish as lines a small or mid-sized company could be in. If yours is one, check which markets buy that line, not only Panama’s top destinations overall.
Source: UN Comtrade, Panama exports by product, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Based on: Top goods exports
Pineapples, avocados and mangoes grew 71% from 2024 to 2025; melons, watermelons and papayas grew 29% from 2024 to 2025. A growing line can mean buyers are looking for more; confirm it with that line’s buyers before you plan around it.
Source: UN Comtrade, Panama exports by product, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Based on: Top goods exports, against the year before
Promote:Global’s reading of the figures above, not a source’s statement, and not advice.
3. Trade agreements
What each arrangement can mean for a seller, and its limits. A preference is conditional: check the rules of origin before you quote.
United States–Panama Trade Promotion Agreement
Gives qualifying Panamanian goods preferential entry to the United States under a comprehensive free trade agreement.
Rules-based preference; check any separate United States duties in force before you quote, as the worth knowing item explains.
Source: USTR, Panama trade promotion agreement page, 2026 (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Canada–Panama Free Trade Agreement
Sets preferential tariff treatment for goods traded between Panama and Canada.
Rules-based preference, not unconditional market access; check the origin rules for your product.
Source: Global Affairs Canada, Canada-Panama free trade agreement background (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Acuerdo de Asociación entre Centroamérica y la Unión Europea
Gives qualifying Panamanian goods preferential access to the European Union.
Rules-based preference, not unconditional market access; check the origin rules for your product. The whole agreement has fully applied since May 1, 2024; its trade pillar applied provisionally to Panama from August 1, 2013.
Source: European Commission, EU trade relations with Central America (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Acuerdo de Asociación entre Centroamérica y el Reino Unido de Gran Bretaña e Irlanda del Norte
Gives qualifying Panamanian goods preferential access to the United Kingdom, continuing the earlier European Union terms.
Rules-based preference, not unconditional market access; check the origin rules for your product.
Source: MICI, authorized exporter guide, February 2025 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Show 11 more agreements
Tratado de Libre Comercio entre los Estados de la Asociación Europea de Libre Comercio (AELC) y los Estados Centroamericanos
Gives qualifying Panamanian goods preferential access to the EFTA states Norway, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Iceland.
Rules-based preference, not unconditional market access; check the origin rules for your product.
Source: MICI, authorized exporter guide, February 2025 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Tratado de Libre Comercio entre Panamá y el Estado de Israel
Sets preferential treatment for goods and services traded between Panama and Israel.
Rules-based preference, not unconditional market access; check the origin rules for your product.
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Panama, December 2021 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of December 13, 2021
Tratado de Libre Comercio entre Panamá y la República de Corea
Sets preferential treatment for goods and services traded between Panama and South Korea.
Rules-based preference, not unconditional market access; check the origin rules for your product.
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Panama, December 2021 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of December 13, 2021
Tratado de Libre Comercio entre Panamá y los Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Sets preferential treatment for goods and services traded between Panama and Mexico, replacing an earlier partial scope agreement.
Rules-based preference, not unconditional market access; check the origin rules for your product.
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Panama, December 2021 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of December 13, 2021
Tratado de Libre Comercio entre Panamá y Perú
Sets preferential tariff treatment for goods traded between Panama and Peru.
Rules-based preference, not unconditional market access; check the origin rules for your product.
Source: MICI, authorized exporter guide, February 2025 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Tratado de Libre Comercio entre Panamá y Chile
Sets preferential tariff treatment for goods traded between Panama and Chile.
Rules-based preference, not unconditional market access; check the origin rules for your product.
Source: MICI, explanatory document on the Panama-Chile agreement (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Tratado de Libre Comercio entre Panamá y Singapur
Sets preferential tariff treatment for goods traded between Panama and Singapore.
Rules-based preference, not unconditional market access; check the origin rules for your product. The entry into force date was not established here.
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Panama, December 2021 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of December 13, 2021
Protocolo de Incorporación de Panamá al Subsistema de Integración Económica Centroamericana
Sets duty-free trade in goods between Panama and Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, with the DUCA-F declaration for qualifying goods.
The WTO review lists phase-outs to 2028 and excluded lines in Panama's own schedule; check each partner's schedule for the goods you sell.
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Panama, December 2021 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of December 13, 2021
Acuerdo de alcance parcial entre Panamá y Trinidad y Tabago
Covers listed goods traded between Panama and Trinidad and Tobago; the WTO review dates it to 2016.
Partial scope: it covers listed goods only; check the lists for the direction of each preference.
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Panama, December 2021 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of December 13, 2021
Acuerdo de alcance parcial entre Panamá y República Dominicana
Covers listed goods traded between Panama and the Dominican Republic.
Partial scope: it covers listed goods only; the WTO review notes talks to widen it since 2014.
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Panama, December 2021 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of December 13, 2021
Asociación Latinoamericana de Integración (ALADI)
Gives preferences under partial scope agreements with other members, with origin certificates from the commerce ministry.
Partial scope preferences; check the specific agreement for your destination.
Source: MICI, industrial products export requirements, March 2023 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
4. Steps to export
The main steps, in order, each with the body responsible and its official page.
Exporting from Panama
- Hold a valid operating notice (aviso de operación) that lists export activity; plant product exporters need it to register with the agriculture ministry.Ministerio de Comercio e IndustriasOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: MIDA, phytosanitary certification of exports (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Request any permit your goods need through the VUCE, where the agriculture ministry's plant and animal health documents and the health ministry's free sale certificates are collected.Ministerio de Comercio e IndustriasOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: MICI, VUCE certificates, licenses and procedures (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Choose the origin document for your destination: a self-certified form in SIGA, an EUR.1 or DUCA-F from the VUCE, or a certificate from the ONCI site.Ministerio de Comercio e IndustriasB/.2.00 per certificate, except self-certifications (March 2023 guide)Official page (opens in a new tab)
Source: MICI, industrial products export requirements, March 2023 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Check DGNTI's catalog of technical regulations in force for any rule that covers your product.Dirección General de Normas y Tecnología IndustrialOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: DGNTI, catalogs of standards and regulations (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Show 5 more export steps
- For plant products, register as an agro-exporter through the PGA platform, then request an ePhyto certificate for each shipment after an inspection.Dirección Nacional de Sanidad VegetalB/.15.00 per commercial certificate; registration free of chargeOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: MIDA, phytosanitary certification of exports (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- For fish and seafood, get an activity license from ARAP, and a catch certificate where the buyer's market requires one.Autoridad de los Recursos Acuáticos de PanamáLicense valid two yearsOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: MICI, fishery export requirements guide, August 2025 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- File the export declaration in the SIGA customs system through a customs broker; since April 1, 2026 a declaration of export or re-export is mandatory when goods leave Panama.Autoridad Nacional de AduanasB/.5.00 for the declaration form (March 2023 guide)Official page (opens in a new tab)
Source: ANA, news release on export declarations, March 2026 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of March 30, 2026
- Have the VUCE endorse the export declaration and the certificates that need it, and pay the endorsement fee.Ministerio de Comercio e IndustriasB/.2.00 per certificate or endorsement (2022 single window FAQ)Official page (opens in a new tab)
Source: MICI, single window frequently asked questions, 2022 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- If you export non-traditional agricultural products on the list, apply for the CEFA agro-export promotion certificate.Dirección Nacional de Promoción de las ExportacionesOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: MICI, agro-export promotion certificate CEFA (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
5. Organizations that help exporters
Start with PROPANAMÁ and ANA. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
Each card says what it can help with:Get adviceFind financeMeet requirementsResearch markets
Export development and market information
- Get advice
Investment and export promotion office
PROPANAMÁ
Oficina para la Promoción de la Atracción de Inversiones y Promoción de Exportaciones
Promotes investment attraction and exports as the office created by Law 497 of 2025.
Visit PROPANAMÁ (opens in a new tab)Source: PROPANAMÁ, legal framework page (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Get advice
Export promotion directorate
DNPE
Dirección Nacional de Promoción de las Exportaciones
Runs the VUCE export single window, which endorses certificates of origin and export declarations.
Visit DNPE (opens in a new tab)Source: MICI, what the single window VUCE is (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Show 3 more organizations
Trade intelligence office
INTELCOM
Oficina de Inteligencia Comercial
Publishes market reports, tariff search, agreement guides and export dashboards for Panamanian exporters.
Visit INTELCOM (opens in a new tab)Source: INTELCOM, trade intelligence platform (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Get advice
Small business authority
AMPYME
Autoridad de la Micro, Pequeña y Mediana Empresa
Keeps the registry of micro, small and medium companies and runs programs to develop them.
Visit AMPYME (opens in a new tab)Source: AMPYME, small business authority home page (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Research markets
National statistics office
INEC
Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censo
Publishes official trade, price and national account statistics, including export dashboards.
Visit INEC (opens in a new tab)Source: INEC, home page with CPI and GDP indicators (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Customs and tax
- Meet requirements
Customs authority
ANA
Autoridad Nacional de Aduanas
Sets and enforces the customs rules on export and re-export declarations.
Visit ANA (opens in a new tab)Source: ANA, news release on export declarations, March 2026 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of March 30, 2026
- Meet requirements
Tax authority
DGI
Dirección General de Ingresos
Registers taxpayers in the RUC and collects national taxes, including the annual single rate tax of companies.
Visit DGI (opens in a new tab)Source: DGI, taxpayer registration frequently asked questions (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Standards and sector requirements
- Meet requirements
Agriculture ministry
MIDA
Ministerio de Desarrollo Agropecuario
Registers agro-exporters and issues phytosanitary export certificates through its plant health directorate.
Visit MIDA (opens in a new tab)Source: MIDA, phytosanitary certification of exports (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Meet requirements
National standards body
DGNTI
Dirección General de Normas y Tecnología Industrial
Sets national technical standards, certifies products and keeps catalogs of the standards and technical regulations in force.
Visit DGNTI (opens in a new tab)Source: DGNTI, about the standards body (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Show 1 more organization
Aquatic resources authority
ARAP
Autoridad de los Recursos Acuáticos de Panamá
Licenses fishery activities and handles the catch certificates that fish exporters need for some markets.
Visit ARAP (opens in a new tab)Source: MICI, fishery export requirements guide, August 2025 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Chambers and industry associations
- Get advice
Exporters association
APEX
Asociación Panameña de Exportadores
Represents exporters, runs workshops and trade missions, and sits on the commissions of the CEFA and PROMAGRO incentives.
Visit APEX (opens in a new tab)Source: APEX, about the exporters association (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Industrial manufacturers union
SIP
Sindicato de Industriales de Panamá
Represents manufacturers in policy dialogue and runs business meetings for industrial companies.
Visit SIP (opens in a new tab)Source: SIP, industrialists union home page (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
6. Worth knowing
Free zone re-exports
The customs authority made a declaration of export or re-export mandatory from April 1, 2026, first for Colón Free Zone declarations, and set August 10, 2026 for the re-export declaration.
What to do: Confirm with your customs broker which declaration applies before goods leave.
Sources: ANA, news release on export declarations, March 2026 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab); ANA, release on the re-export declaration, July 2026 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
United States tariffs
The United States' July 23, 2026 Section 301 forced-labor action names 60 economies, and Panama is not one of them.
What to do: Check the current United States tariff notices for Panamanian goods before you quote a buyer.
Source: Federal Register, Section 301 forced labor memorandum, July 2026 (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Copper concentrate in exports
Copper concentrate (HS 2603) was 20.4 percent of 2025 exports; the commission report records 121,000 dry tons of stored concentrate exported, and more shipments in August and September 2026.
What to do: Read copper separately from other goods in export totals, and follow the ministry's reports on the mine site.
Sources: Interministerial Commission, Cobre Panamá final report, September 2026 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab); UN Comtrade, Panama exports by product, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
7. How Promote:Global helps
- Compare potential export marketsSee which markets import what you sell, ranked on public trade data, and read each country before you commit.
- Check duties and document requirementsCheck the duty, the origin conditions for a preferential rate and the documents a shipment needs.
- Find advisors and service firmsAsk an advisory firm a scoped, paid question, or browse firms that list their own services, from legal work to logistics.
- Organize your next stepsKeep each product and market in a project, with a roadmap of steps you work through.
Turn this guide into your Panama project.
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Promote:Panama is an independent guide by Promote:Global, not an official government portal. The organizations named here are independent public and membership bodies, not Promote:Global partners, and every link goes to their own site.
Facts read from public sources, with an editorial cut-off of October 31, 2026. Nothing here is investment, legal, tax or sanctions advice. Check current status with the organization before you rely on it.