Ecuador Shrimp Exports Smash Record at 1.39 Million Metric Tons in 2025, Industry Projects 15% Growth for 2026

Ecuador Shrimp: 1.39M Metric Tons in 2025

Ecuador's shrimp sector delivered a "remarkable year" in 2025, with exports reaching a record 1.39 million metric tons valued at approximately $7.5 billion, according to trade data compiled by Undercurrent News and the Cámara Nacional de Acuacultura (CNA). The performance represents a 15% year-on-year increase and breaks decisively through the plateau that characterised 2024, when growth stalled amid global trade disruptions and soft Chinese demand.

Shrimp is now Ecuador's largest non-oil export and the single most important source of foreign exchange for the dollarised economy.

2025 performance in context

Metric	2025	2024	2023	Change (YoY)
Volume (MT)	1,390,000	~1,210,000	~1,150,000	+15%
Value (est.)	~$7.5 billion	~$6.8 billion	~$7.1 billion	+10%
Avg. price/kg	~$5.40	~$5.60	~$6.20	-4%

The apparent paradox -- volume up 15%, value up only 10% -- reflects the continued softening of global shrimp prices from the 2022-23 peaks. Average export prices declined approximately 4% year-on-year as increased global supply (from Ecuador, India, and Vietnam) outpaced demand growth. However, the volume surge more than compensated, delivering the highest absolute revenue in the sector's history.

First-half momentum carried through

The record year was front-loaded: H1 2025 alone saw 719,153 MT shipped, a 17% year-on-year increase that set the pace for the full-year result.

Half	Volume (MT)	YoY growth
H1 2025	719,153	+17%
H2 2025	~670,847	+13% (est.)
Full year 2025	1,390,000	+15%

Market distribution: China dominant, US stable

China's share of Ecuadorian shrimp exports consolidated at 48%, making it by far the single largest destination. The US held steady as the second market, while European demand showed modest growth:

Market	Share of 2025 exports	Trend	Key dynamics
China	48.18%	Stable-to-growing	Post-COVID foodservice recovery; e-commerce cold chain expansion
United States	19.42%	Stable	15% reciprocal tariff headwind; trade framework may provide relief
Europe (combined)	22.89%	Slight growth	EU sustainability requirements; ESG-certified product demand
Other Asia	~5%	Growing	South Korea, Japan FTA pipeline
Rest of world	~4.5%	Mixed	UAE CEPA opportunity

China's dominance presents both opportunity and concentration risk. The 48% share means Ecuadorian shrimp is heavily exposed to Chinese economic conditions, consumer sentiment, and import policy. The ongoing US-China trade tensions could indirectly benefit Ecuador if Chinese buyers diversify away from US protein sources -- but could also create volatility if Chinese demand softens during an economic slowdown.

Technification: the growth engine

The industry's 10-15% growth projection for 2026 is underpinned by the accelerating technification of Ecuador's shrimp farms -- a shift from extensive (low-density, large-area) to intensive (high-density, technology-driven) production methods:

Method	Density	Yield	Technology
Extensive (traditional)	10-15 shrimp/m²	1,500-2,500 kg/ha/cycle	Minimal aeration, natural feeding
Semi-intensive	30-50 shrimp/m²	4,000-6,000 kg/ha/cycle	Mechanical aeration, supplemental feed
Intensive	80-150 shrimp/m²	10,000-20,000 kg/ha/cycle	Biofloc systems, 24/7 monitoring, automated feeding

Ecuador has historically operated primarily in the extensive range, leveraging its natural advantages -- warm Pacific waters, extensive mangrove-adjacent coastline, and low labour costs. The shift toward semi-intensive and intensive methods is dramatically increasing per-hectare yields without requiring proportional land expansion.

Key technification investments include:

• Biofloc systems that recycle waste as microbial protein, reducing feed costs by 15-20%
• IoT-connected monitoring for water quality, dissolved oxygen, and feeding optimisation
• Genetic selection programmes producing faster-growing, disease-resistant broodstock
• Post-harvest processing expansion, moving up the value chain from raw frozen to breaded, cooked, and ready-to-eat products

Competitive positioning: India tariff advantage

Ecuador's competitive position relative to India -- the world's other shrimp superpower -- has improved significantly due to US trade policy:

Country	US reciprocal tariff	Anti-dumping duty	Combined US entry cost
Ecuador	15% (exemption pending)	None	15% (potentially 0%)
India	26%	Under investigation	26%+
Vietnam	46%	Varies	46%+
Thailand	36%	Varies	36%+

If Ecuador secures tariff exemption under the US-Ecuador Reciprocal Trade Framework (signed November 2025), the effective duty differential between Ecuadorian and Indian shrimp entering the US market would reach 26+ percentage points -- a transformative cost advantage that could accelerate market share gains.

Environmental and sustainability metrics

Ecuador's shrimp sector has invested in sustainability certifications to meet increasingly stringent buyer requirements:

• ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council): Ecuador has the highest number of ASC-certified shrimp farms in the Americas
• BAP (Best Aquaculture Practices): Widely adopted across major exporters
• Naturland organic: Growing niche for European specialty markets
• Mangrove restoration: Industry-funded reforestation of 50,000+ hectares of mangrove buffer zones

These certifications are increasingly non-negotiable for European and North American retail buyers, particularly Walmart, Costco, and Carrefour, which have set 2025-2030 sustainable sourcing targets.

What to watch

Track CNA's monthly export data through Q1 2026 to validate the 10-15% growth trajectory. Monitor the US-Ecuador trade framework's product exemption list -- shrimp tariff relief would be the single most impactful trade development for the sector. Watch for Indian shrimp industry responses, including potential anti-dumping complaints or lobbying for US tariff relief. Follow BioMar's expanded aquafeed operations (410,000-tonne capacity after 37% expansion) as a proxy for industry growth expectations. The 1.5 million MT milestone -- achievable in 2026 if 10%+ growth materialises -- would be a psychologically significant threshold for the global shrimp market.

Sources: Undercurrent News, Shrimp Insights, CNA