Ecuador's Non-Petroleum Exports Hit All-Time Record $25.2 Billion in 2025, Up 16% as Shrimp, Cacao, and Bananas Drive Structural Diversification
Ecuador Sets Non-Petroleum Export Record at $25.2B
Ecuador's non-petroleum, non-mining exports reached $25.202 billion in 2025, setting an all-time record and confirming a structural shift in the country's export profile, according to data released by the Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade and Investment (MPCEIP) and the Central Bank of Ecuador (BCE). Total non-petroleum exports — including mining revenues — reached $29.402 billion, an 18.3% year-on-year increase representing $4.553 billion in additional export revenue.
The performance generated a positive non-petroleum trade balance of $5.032 billion, a 35.4% improvement over 2024.
Three-year acceleration
| Year | Non-petroleum non-mining exports | YoY growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | ~$18.7B | +5.2% |
| 2024 | ~$21.7B | +12.1% |
| 2025 | $25.202B | +16.0% |
Total volume reached 12.935 million metric tonnes, a 9% increase — indicating that value growth outpaced volume, driven by favourable price dynamics in cacao and shrimp.
Sector breakdown
Aquaculture & Fishing: $10.8B (+17%)
| Product | 2025 value | YoY growth |
|---|---|---|
| Shrimp | $8.401B | +20% |
| Canned fish | $1.848B | +10% |
| Tuna & fresh fish | $348M | +5% |
Agriculture & Agro-industry: $12.088B (+17%)
| Product | 2025 value | YoY growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cacao & derivatives | $4.668B | +29% |
| Bananas & plantains | $4.262B | +11% |
| Cut flowers | $1.045B | +3% |
Manufacturing: $2.314B (+5%)
| Product | 2025 value | YoY growth |
|---|---|---|
| Wood & manufactures | $657M | +13% |
| Chemicals & pharma | $215M | +5% |
Destination markets
| Market | 2025 value | Share | YoY growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| European Union | $7.237B | 23.0% | +14% |
| United States | $6.570B | 20.9% | +30.3% |
| China | $5.920B | 18.8% | +16.4% |
| Russia | $1.044B | 3.3% | +16.3% |
| Colombia | $868M | 2.8% | +3.6% |
The United States posted the strongest growth at +30.3%, adding approximately $1.5 billion in new revenue despite the 15% tariff surcharge imposed in August 2025. China's $5.920 billion — predominantly shrimp and cacao — now represents nearly one-fifth of non-petroleum export revenue.
Structural significance
Non-petroleum exports now exceed petroleum exports by a ratio of approximately 3.8:1, compared to near parity as recently as 2018. The shift reduces vulnerability to oil price shocks but introduces new dependencies on agricultural commodity cycles and trade policy — particularly US tariffs and the Colombia bilateral dispute.
The cacao sector delivered the standout performance at +29%, driven partly by West African supply disruptions (Ivory Coast and Ghana crop failures pushed global cacao prices to multi-decade highs) that channelled buyer demand toward Ecuadorian fine-aroma varieties.
What to watch
Monitor Q1 2026 export data (due April) to assess whether the growth trajectory sustains. Track cacao prices — the 29% surge was the largest value contributor and depends partly on West African supply disruptions that may not recur. Watch for the US-Ecuador reciprocal trade agreement signing, which could accelerate US-bound growth further. The Colombia trade war ($868M bilateral market) represents a downside risk if 30% retaliatory tariffs persist.
Sources: Infobae, El Universo, MPCEIP, BCE, FEDEXPOR
Source
Infobae / El Universo / MPCEIP / BCE — “Exportaciones no petroleras y no mineras en Ecuador marcaron récord histórico en 2025”
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