Nicaraguan exports in Central America and nearby countries Belize and Panama rose 20 percent in the first six months of the year compared with the same period in 2007, a government exportation agency reported.

The Export Processing Center (CETREX) reported that goods shipped to other countries in the region from January to June grossed $279.3 million, up from $233.4 million in the first half of last year.

Exports to countries in the region this year have so far made up 33.4 percent of Nicaragua's total exports, which in the first half of 2008 reached $835.3 million.

El Salvador continues to be Nicaragua's biggest Central American buyer, followed by Honduras, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama and Belize, according to the report published recently on the export center's Web site www.cetrex.com.ni.