Regional Economic Bulletin: Southeast, First Quarter of 2026
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 southeast region’s economy showed mixed results. Oil production declined due to lower activity in the main fields and operational disruptions, in a context of rising international prices driven by lower supply and geopolitical tensions. Agricultural production contracted, while livestock activity increased. Sales of vehicles and motorcycles increased, supported by households’ willingness to purchase durable goods and higher disposable income. In construction, constructed floor area increased, although approved area and new housing sales declined. Unemployment in Villavicencio remained low, with improvements in formal employment and labor force participation. Inflation increased due to food prices, while regulated-item inflation declined.
Oil production in the southeast region fell due to field depletion in Casanare and operational disruptions. The Castilla field in Meta partially offset this result, with higher production driven by new investments, technical improvements, and the opening of new wells. Internationally, lower global supply and geopolitical tensions exerted upward pressure on prices.
Agricultural activity showed mixed results. The agricultural subsector recorded lower production, affected by excessive rainfall in previous periods which impacted oil palm fruit development, as well as by reductions in planted areas of other crops. In contrast, livestock activity grew, driven by higher demand and greater availability of cattle and pigs.
Regarding the construction sector, the housing constructed area in Villavicencio and Yopal increased slightly. However, new housing sales in the Low-Income-Housing (LIH) and non-LIH segments declined in Villavicencio, affected by higher financing costs, and the area licensed for construction also contracted.
Regional Economic Bulletin published to date (since 2025)
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