Regional Economic Bulletin: Northeast, second quarter of 2025
The Regional Economic Bulletin is published by the Regional Economies Section of the Technical and Economic Information Department at Banco de la República. The views and potential errors are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not compromise Banco de la República or its Board of Directors.
The northeast region’s economy continued to grow in the second quarter, driven by household consumption and agricultural and livestock activity. Commerce was boosted by a steady inflow of remittances, higher income from coffee-related activities, and an increase in the number of employed individuals. Agricultural and livestock production benefited from favorable weather conditions and greater access to credit, with notable results in crops such as palm oil and coffee, as well as in beef production. In contrast, industry underperformed, affected by lower fuel refining, and construction remained weak, with leading indicators still in negative territory. Non-oil exports reached their highest level in the past two years, while imports declined.
Domestic trade continued to show dynamic performance, surpassing the national average. Household consumption was driven by sales of food and beverages, information technology equipment, and vehicles. Likewise, demand for cultural and entertainment items, consumer imports, and new housing sales increased.
Growth in agricultural and livestock activity was driven by stronger demand, favorable weather conditions, and greater access to credit. Perishable food production reached record levels, although some crops, such as lime and orange, declined. The livestock sector increased, particularly the supply of pork and beef.
Manufacturing production continued to decline due to lower fuel refining and operational disruptions at the Barrancabermeja refinery. Groups such as electrical equipment and footwear fell. In contrast, positive performance was observed in meat products, palm oil extraction, non-alcoholic beverages, clothing, and chemicals. This growth was partly driven by stronger external demand and procurement of raw materials.
Regional Economic Bulletin published to date (since 2025)
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