Economy, Mining and Manufacturing

Mining is unimportant in Paraguay. Although deposits of petroleum, iron, manganese, salt, and other minerals are reported, they are not exploited commercially. Limestone, extracted in significant amounts, was used in producing about 250,000 metric tons of cement annually in the early 1990s.

Manufacturing is confined largely to agricultural and forestry products and to basic consumer goods. Among the important products are packed meat and other foodstuffs, textiles, wood products, and chemicals.