The value of Guyana’s goods exports is projected to increase by 15 percent in 2026, with the country also expected to be among the main regional beneficiaries of higher hydrocarbon and commodity prices, according to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
The projection is contained in the executive summary of ECLAC’s International Trade Outlook for Latin America and the Caribbean 2026, which forecasts rising export earnings for 28 of the region’s 33 countries.
Guyana’s projected growth places it ahead of several Caribbean economies, including Suriname at nine percent, Barbados at six percent, and Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago at two percent each. Belize and The Bahamas are forecast to record stronger increases, at 17 percent and 19 percent respectively.
However, Guyana’s projected increase remains below the Latin American and Caribbean average of 20 percent. The forecast measures growth in the value of goods exported, rather than a corresponding increase in the quantity shipped.
ECLAC also identifies Guyana among the countries expected to record the largest improvements in their terms of trade, alongside Peru, Venezuela, Bolivia, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
Terms of trade measure export prices relative to import prices. An improvement means a country’s exports can purchase more imports, although it does not necessarily mean imported goods will become cheaper.
According to the report, the anticipated gains for these countries are “owing mainly to higher hydrocarbon and commodities prices”.
Across Latin America and the Caribbean, terms of trade are projected to improve by six percent in 2026 as export prices rise faster than import prices. The summary does not provide a separate percentage for Guyana.
The outlook is less favourable for some countries that depend heavily on imported energy and food. ECLAC warns that rising fuel and other input costs could outpace increases in their export prices, limiting improvements or worsening their terms of trade.
For the wider region, the projected 20 percent increase in goods export value reflects gains of 11 percent in prices and nine percent in volume. This would mark a sixth consecutive year of growth in regional export volumes.
Minerals and metals are contributing significantly to the stronger export performance, with their prices projected to rise by 31.6 percent, led by increases in copper, gold, silver and tin.
While the outlook points to stronger export earnings, ECLAC urges countries to use favourable trading conditions to support economic diversification, innovation and higher-value production.
