Commodities
Cacao, shrimp, bananas, flowers, tuna
33 articlesLATAM Ecuador to Distribute 6M Paccari Minibars Annually
LATAM Airlines Ecuador will distribute about 6 million Paccari chocolate minibars per year through its international onboard service. The partnership places the Ecuadorian brand on more than 25 routes connecting Europe, Oceania, the United States and Africa.
Faszina Says Ecuador Supplies 50% of Its Exotic-Fruit Import Volume
Spanish importer Faszina Selected says Ecuador represents 50% of its import volume and between 80 and 120 weekly pallets of exotic fruit, El Universo reports. The company distributes through Barcelona's Mercabarna and says Ecuadorian supply is regular and stable throughout the year.
Decreto 394 Allocates $10.5M Diesel Compensation for Industrial Fishing
Decreto 394 creates an extraordinary, temporary, targeted and conditioned mechanism for the industrial fishing sector after the diesel price increase. Primicias reports the total budget is $10.5 million, with eligibility tied to vessel registration, permits, fuel invoices, tax and employer obligations, verified fishing activity and MAGP technical rules.
Ecuador Cacao Export Value Falls 63.5% in Q1 2026 to $441M as Prices Correct From 2024 Peak
Ecuadorian cacao export value dropped 63.5% year-on-year in Q1 2026 to $441 million from $1,208 million in Q1 2025. ANECACAO frames it as the long-anticipated correction of the 2024 price spike, not a demand problem, with the US, EU, Russia and Canada still the main destinations.
Mother's Day Flower Exports Hit Record 24,800 MT (+16%); Quito Airport Rises to 4th in LatAm Cargo Rankings
Ecuador's Mother's Day flower export season set a new record at 24,800 metric tons over 21 days — a 16% increase over 2025. Avianca Cargo reported 55% growth in Ecuador operations. Quito's Mariscal Sucre airport climbed to 4th in Latin American cargo rankings.
Ecuador Shrimp Sector: 60 Million Pounds Held Up as Middle East War Disrupts Maritime Logistics
Ecuador's largest non-oil export faces a logistics crisis. CNA president José Antonio Camposano reports 60 million pounds of shrimp held up due to maritime route disruptions, port delays, and reefer container shortages caused by the US-Iran conflict. The May 3–18 curfew in coastal production zones adds operational pressure.
Ecuador Banana Exports Rise 10% in Q1 2026 to 111.57 Million Boxes Despite Shipping Disruptions
Ecuador shipped 111.57 million boxes of bananas in Q1 2026, up 9.8% year-over-year. The EU led demand with 34.2% market share and 19% growth, while Turkey posted a 40.5% surge. Shipping disruptions from the Strait of Hormuz closure added $300-600 per container in freight costs.
Ecuadorian Banana Exporters Target 25% South Korea Market Share by 2031 — AEBE Projects $100M Annual FX
Ecuador's banana export association AEBE projects that Ecuadorian bananas can capture 25% of the South Korean market — up from 11% / 3.57 million boxes in 2025 — once the 30% tariff phases out under the Strategic Economic Cooperation Agreement. Full zero-tariff access is set for 2031. AEBE estimates $100 million in annual FX earnings at target.
Fuel Adjustment Transmits to Guayaquil Wholesale Produce Prices — Onion Sacks Up to $45–52, Avocado Cases Double
Vendors at Guayaquil's Mercado Central and the Terminal de Transferencia de Víveres in Montebello are reporting sharp price increases on staple produce items — onion sacks moving from $15 to $45 (with a recent peak of $52), avocado cases from $7 to $14–22, and strawberry cases from $4 to $12–15 — following the April 12 national fuel price adjustment. The ExpresoRcoverage also documents how diesel's 4.7% rise is passing through supply chains.
Cacao Prices Collapse 59% From Peak — Farm-Gate at $180-$190/Quintal
International cacao prices have collapsed approximately 59% from the $13,000/ton peak reached in late 2024, with benchmark futures settling near $3,336/ton. Ecuadorian farm-gate prices for Nacional-variety cacao have fallen to $180-$190 per quintal, down from over $400 at the market's peak. The correction reflects demand destruction in European confectionery, speculative position unwinds, and improved West African production forecasts.
Shrimp Exports Surge 23% in January — On Track for Record Year
Ecuador's shrimp exports surged 23% year-over-year in January 2026, reaching 125,200 tonnes and reinforcing the sector's trajectory toward another record year. Full-year 2025 exports reached $7.47 billion, cementing shrimp as Ecuador's single largest non-oil export. China continues to absorb approximately 55% of volume, though diversification toward the US, EU, and Japan is accelerating.
Ecuador Shrimp Exports Surge 23% YoY to 125,200 MT in January 2026
Ecuador's shrimp exports surged 23% year-over-year to 125,200 metric tonnes in January 2026, extending the momentum from a record $7.47 billion performance in 2025. China's share of Ecuadorian shrimp imports declined to 49.5% from 54.2%, reflecting deliberate market diversification. The sector projects a 15% full-year volume increase driven by technification and genetic improvement programs.
Cacao Exports Projected at 623,000+ MT; Ecuador to Surpass Ghana as World No. 2
Ecuador's cacao exports are projected to exceed 623,000 metric tonnes in 2026, according to Anecacao, positioning the country to surpass Ghana as the world's second-largest cacao producer. Production has surged from 375,720 MT in 2023, with the 2026/27 season potentially exceeding 650,000 MT. The industry targets 800,000 MT by decade's end.
Ecuador Shrimp Exports Hit Record $8.4B in 2025 — Surpass Oil as Top Export for First Time
Ecuador's shrimp industry achieved a historic milestone in 2025, exporting $8.401 billion worth of product — a 20.2% increase over 2024 — and surpassing crude oil as the country's top export for the first time. Total non-oil exports reached $29.402 billion (+18.3% YoY). U.S. countervailing duties on Indian shrimp have accelerated Ecuador's market share gains, and industry projections suggest volumes could exceed 1.5 million metric tons in 2026.
Ecuador Shrimp Exports Hit $7.5B in 2025; January 2026 Volumes Up 23% YoY
Ecuador's shrimp exports reached $7.47 billion in 2025, up 23.2% year-on-year. January 2026 volumes continued the trajectory at 125,200 tonnes (+23% YoY). China accounts for 49.5% of export volume. Shrimp has officially surpassed petroleum as Ecuador's top export category, with industry projections targeting a further 15% increase in 2026.
Ecuador Cocoa on Track to Overtake Ghana as World's #2 Producer in 2026
Ecuador is projected to export over 623,000 metric tons of cocoa in 2026, according to Anecacao estimates, positioning the country to overtake Ghana as the world's second-largest producer behind Côte d'Ivoire. Cocoa exports have already surpassed banana exports in value for the first time in six decades, reaching $3.6 billion in 2024.
Ecuador Cocoa Exports Projected to Exceed 623,000 Metric Tons in 2026 — Country on Track to Surpass Ghana as World's #2 Producer
Ecuador's National Cocoa Exporters Association (ANECACAO) projects cocoa exports will exceed 623,000 metric tons in 2026, a 11.3% increase from 2025's 560,000 MT. The volume surge positions Ecuador to surpass Ghana as the world's second-largest cocoa producer in the 2025/26 season. However, the export growth coincides with international cocoa prices crashing below $3,100/MT — a 65% decline from the $9,000/MT peak in April 2025 — creating a volume-up, revenue-down dynamic that threatens farmer incomes.
Cocoa Prices Crash Below $3,100/Ton From Record Highs as 287,000-Tonne Global Surplus Emerges — Ecuador Positioned to Become World's No. 2 Producer
Global cocoa prices have crashed below $3,100 per metric ton, a dramatic reversal from the record highs of 2024-2025, driven by a projected 287,000-tonne global production surplus. Ecuador stands to benefit from the supply rebalancing: with yields of 800 kg/ha versus Ghana's 400 kg/ha and projected output exceeding 650,000 MT in 2026/27, the country is on track to overtake Ghana as the world's second-largest cocoa producer — though lower prices per ton will partially offset the volume gains.
Ecuador's $1.2 Billion Tuna Export Sector Faces Price Pressure as Abundant Yellowfin Catches Collide With Global Skipjack Scarcity and Thai Reference Pricing
Ecuador's tuna industry, the world's largest exporter at 17% of global trade and $1.2 billion in annual revenue, faces downward pricing pressure despite abundant yellowfin catches in the Eastern Pacific. Persistent global skipjack scarcity continues to allow Thailand to set reference prices, creating a two-speed market that compresses margins for Ecuadorian processors and fleet operators.
Ecuador Valentine's Day Flower Exports Rise 3% to 39,000 Tons But Revenue Falls to $274 Million as Combined 21.8% US Tariff Erodes Margins
Ecuador shipped approximately 39,000 tons of flowers for Valentine's Day 2026 — a 3% increase over 2025's 37,000 tons — but revenue is projected to decline to $274-276 million from $282 million last year. The decline reflects a combined 21.8% US tariff (15% Trump administration surcharge plus 6.8% existing duty) that has compressed margins across the sector's 6,200 hectares of plantations employing 120,000 workers.
