Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
Chapter I
The Pacific Alliance and MERCOSUR between them generate 72% of intraregional exports of pharmaceutical products (see figure I.13A), as they include the region’s largest pharmaceutical exporters (Brazil, Mexico and Argentina, in descending order). In the case of intraregional imports, Central America is the largest buyer, absorbing one third of the total. Other countries outside of these three groupings (the Dominican Republic, Ecuador and the Plurinational State of Bolivia, along with various Caribbean countries) account for 23% of intraregional purchases (see figure I.13B). Figure I.13 Subregional groupings: distribution of intraregional trade in pharmaceuticals, 2019 (Percentages)
A. By origin of exports Central America (23)
B. By destination of imports Rest of the region (5)
MERCOSUR (17)
Rest of the region (23) MERCOSUR (37)
Pacific Alliance (27)
Central America (33)
Pacific Alliance (35)
Source: Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), on the basis of United Nations, UN Comtrade Database. Note: Does not include Panama because it is not possible to separately identify re-exports from the Colón Free Zone.
Despite its loss of momentum in recent years, the intraregional market remains the leading destination for nine of the ten leading exporters of pharmaceutical products to the region. The exception is the Dominican Republic, which sends its exports mainly to the United States. Excluding Brazil, Mexico and the United States, the regional market absorbs between 73% and 97% of all pharmaceutical exports of the other seven countries in the 10 leading exporters to the region (see table I.8). Although the region’s share of Mexico’s pharmaceutical exports has diminished in recent years, it remains the most important market with a 53% share in 2019. This is much more than the region’s share in total Mexican exports, which is about 7%. Table I.8 Latin America and the Caribbean: 10 leading intraregional exporters of pharmaceutical products, 2019 (Millions of dollars and percentages) Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Country Mexico Brazil Argentina Colombia Costa Rica Guatemala El Salvador Chile Uruguay Dominican Republic Subtotal:
Exports to Latin America and the Caribbean (millions of dollars) 625 580 485 308 296 243 158 154 101 90 3 040
Share of the country in total intraregional pharmaceutical exports (percentages) 19 18 15 10 9 8 5 5 3 3 94
Share of the region in the country’s total pharmaceutical exports (percentages) 53 41 75 88 91 97 94 87 73 17 60
Source: Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), on the basis of United Nations, UN Comtrade Database. Note: Does not include Panama because it is not possible to separately identify re-exports from the Colón Free Zone.
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