Agriculture
Farming, food security, agroindustry
27 articlesEl Niño Could Accelerate Fusarium Spread In Ecuador Banana Sector
Ecuador’s banana sector is warning that El Niño rains and flooding could accelerate the spread of Fusarium R4T. A second case was confirmed in Santa Rosa, El Oro, on July 14, in a 90-hectare farm near the first detected focus.
Imbabura Targets USD 150,000 In 2026 Tango Mandarin Exports To U.S.
Ecuador is exporting tango mandarins from Imbabura to the United States, with the first of six planned shipments totaling 23,430 kilograms. Agrocalidad expects 140,550 kilograms in 2026, equivalent to USD 150,000 in planned exports.
Ecuador Confirms Second Fusarium Foc R4T Case In El Oro
Agrocalidad confirmed Ecuador's second positive case of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4 on July 14. The detection was in El Quemado, El Oro, adjacent to La Carolina, where authorities registered the country's first outbreak.
RUMBO Ecuador Proposes Long-Term Platform For Agriculture Strategy
RUMBO Ecuador is positioning itself as a long-term agriculture strategy platform connecting producers, academia, private companies, civil society and public institutions. The proposed structure includes a national assembly, territorial and thematic committees in every province, and an executive secretariat.
Ecuador Agriculture Ministry Sets $20M El Niño Contingency Plan
Ecuador’s Agriculture Ministry presented a contingency plan of about $20 million for a possible El Niño event expected toward late 2026 and early 2027. Officials cited a worst-case exposure of up to 2 million hectares and roughly $1.3 billion in losses, around 1% of GDP.
Ecuador Poultry Exports Top 4,300 Tons Since 2023 as Industry Targets China
Ecuador has exported more than 4,300 metric tons of chicken since entering the market in 2023, according to industry figures cited by El Universo. The sector is targeting China and Central America while domestic annual chicken output stands near 564,497 tons.
El Nino Raises 2026 Operating Risk For Ecuador Cacao, Banana And Rice Producers
Ecuador’s agricultural exporters are preparing for El Nino exposure across cacao, rice and bananas. Cacao represented USD 4.5 billion for the economy in 2025 and supports 250,000 families across about 600,000 planted hectares, while rice production is concentrated in flood-prone lowland zones.
Rice Producers Warn El Niño Could Affect Up to 80,000 Hectares
Ecuador’s rice and cacao sectors are mapping production exposure ahead of a possible El Niño event. Rice producers cite 40,000-50,000 hectares affected in a regular winter and potential exposure of 70,000-80,000 hectares depending on event intensity, while cacao exporters are watching disease and post-harvest risk.
MAGP Offers 100% Debt Remission for Artisanal Fishing Port Leases
Ecuador’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries announced 100% remission of selected lease-related debts for artisanal fishers and popular-solidarity economy organizations. The benefit applies to users in Esmeraldas, Anconcito, Jaramijó, San Mateo, Santa Rosa, Cojimíes and Bajo Alto.
Ecuador Invests More Than USD 3M in Irrigation Across 525 Hectares
Ecuador has invested more than USD 3M in seven technified irrigation projects covering 525 hectares. The program directly benefits 517 agricultural producers and indirectly supports more than 2,000 people, with the government targeting productivity, climate resilience and financing access for small and medium producers.
MAGP Pushes Social-Security Affiliation for Artisanal Fishers
Ecuador's government is expanding social-security affiliation efforts for artisanal fishers, El Universo reports. Seguro Social Campesino records show 5,743 affiliated fishers in Manabi, Guayas and Santa Elena, with two 2026 campaigns in Manta and Jaramijo.
Ecuador Rice Prices Fall to Five-Year Low After Colombia Trade Rupture
Ecuador's rice sector is facing its worst price level in five years, Primicias reports. Corpnoarroz says the Colombia trade rupture blocked a market that absorbed about 100,000 tons of annual Ecuadorian surplus.
Agriculture Ministry Cites $4M El Nino Insurance Budget and Additional Rice-Reserve Capacity
Ecuador's Agriculture Ministry has a $4 million budget for agricultural-insurance premiums tied to potential El Nino impacts, El Universo reports. Minister Juan Carlos Vega also said the government is seeking storage and budget for 20,000 additional tons of rice, requiring about $8 million more.
CECA-13 Cacao Clone Reports 1.8-2.0 Tons/Ha Annual Yields in El Oro
El Universo reports that the CECA-13 cacao clone was launched May 20 in El Oro by researcher Erwin Cango. Reported yields in the development zone reached 1.8-2.0 tons per hectare per year, with evaluations in other areas indicating a possible 30-35 quintals per hectare depending on agronomic management.
Government Expands 7x7 Credit Program by $100M, Opens BanEcuador Lending to Artisanal Fishers for First Time
Ecuador allocated an additional $100 million to the Crédito Productivo 7x7 program through BanEcuador, extending eligibility to artisanal fishers for the first time. The first phase distributed $100M across 9,341 operations. An estimated 11,500 fishers with 7,500 vessels are now eligible.
MAGP Deploys $42.4M Agricultural Technification Program: Drone-Assisted Farming, Irrigation for 3,288 Hectares, 1,670 Apiary Kits Across 23 Provinces
Ecuador's Ministry of Agriculture (MAGP) is deploying a $42.4 million program targeting small and mid-scale producers across 23 provinces. The three-component initiative covers technified irrigation for 3,288 hectares, drone and mechanization subsidies at 75% government cost, and a 1,670-kit beekeeping expansion through 2027.
Ecuador's Rice Sector in Crisis: Colombia Ban Creates 80,000-Ton Surplus as Farm-Gate Prices Collapse 38%
Colombia's rice import ban on February 24, 2026 eliminated Ecuador's dominant export destination — 90% of the exportable surplus — creating an estimated 80,000-metric-ton domestic glut. Farm-gate prices collapsed 38% as piladoras slashed purchasing rates. The government's $8 million emergency purchase covers only a quarter of the surplus.
Ecuador Purchases $8M in Domestic Rice as Colombia Export Channel Closes
The Ecuadorian government is purchasing 20,000 metric tons of domestic rice for $8 million under Executive Decree 307, after Colombia's February import ban eliminated the destination for 90% of Ecuador's rice exports and created a 190,000-ton surplus.
Agriculture Ministry Activates M Rice Purchase Program Across 4 Collection Centers
The Ministry of Agriculture (MAGP) opened four rice collection centers on May 4 in Guayas and Los Ríos, backed by million in BanEcuador financing. The program purchases paddy rice directly from 7,000 registered producers at (short-grain) to (long-grain) per 205-pound sack.
Ecuador's Rice Crisis: Government Launches $8M Direct Purchase as Market Price Collapses to $18–21 per Saca
Ecuador's Agriculture Ministry is launching an $8 million direct rice purchase program on May 4 after market prices collapsed to $18–21 per saca — 42–50% below the government support price of $34–36. The Colombia trade war has closed a key export outlet, compounding domestic oversupply.