Ecuador-Colombia Trade Recovery Moves Slowly After Tariffs Return To 0%

Ecuador-Colombia trade is moving back toward normal terms after a four-month tariff dispute, but business groups are not treating the reset as instantaneous.

The bilateral surcharges stopped applying on June 1, 2026, returning trade between the two countries to a 0% tariff. Even so, companies are rebuilding supply relationships after contract suspensions, advance purchases and supplier shifts during the tariff period.

Trade Flow Impact

According to exporter-sector reporting cited in the source, Ecuador's non-oil exports to Colombia fell 5% in the first four months of 2026, to USD 260 million from USD 273 million a year earlier. Non-oil imports from Colombia contracted 22%, to USD 427 million.

The broader trade relationship remains large. Ecuador buys close to USD 1.9 billion from Colombia and sells around USD 800 million into Colombia. Around 60% of Ecuador's purchases from Colombia are raw materials and inputs for domestic industry.

Sector Readthrough

Positive export categories included canned tuna, vegetable fats and oils, shrimp and animal-origin food preparations. Negative categories included metal manufactures, plastics and wood boards.

Rice remains a specific watch item. Colombia lifted tariffs but restricted overland rice entry until July 15, 2026. Exporters have moved a little more than 2,000 tons by sea, while a normal first quarter can move 40,000 to 50,000 tons.

What To Watch

The July-August window is the near-term normalization test. Investors should watch whether cross-border order volumes recover, whether rice restrictions lapse on schedule, and whether border-security coordination becomes a durable commercial priority rather than a post-tariff talking point.