Commodities
Cacao, shrimp, bananas, flowers, tuna
47 articlesEcuador's Cocoa Sector Faces 2026 Challenges Amid Export Decline and El Niño Risk
Ecuador's cocoa sector is navigating a challenging 2026, marked by a smaller harvest, declining international prices, and the looming threat of intense El Niño rains. Export volumes decreased by 8.3% and value by 55% between January and July 2026 compared to the previous year.
El Niño Strengthens Off Ecuador, Impacting Fisheries and Coastal Weather Patterns
El Niño continues to strengthen in the equatorial Pacific, with sea surface temperature anomalies reaching up to +4.5 °C off Ecuador and Peru. This phenomenon is already affecting fishing activity and has led to increased rainfall and river flows in the Litoral region, with further precipitation expected.
Ecuador shipped 247.08 million boxes of bananas through July 2026
Reported banana export volumes for January through July 2026, with source and time period made clear.
WTI Passes USD 86 as Middle East Escalation Reaches Oil Markets
WTI, the reference for Ecuador’s oil market, rose 3.2% to USD 86.07 per barrel at 08:00 Ecuador time on August 31 as geopolitical escalation revived supply and shipping concerns.
El Nino Is Turning Ecuador's Fishing Distance Into a Food-Price Signal
Warmer seas are pushing artisanal fishers farther offshore and raising reported prices for albacore and other species in Santa Elena. The episode shows how climate volatility can move through Ecuador's seafood supply chain.
Shrimp and mining exports rose as cacao fell in first-half 2026
Central-bank goods-trade figures show why Ecuador's non-oil export total barely grew in January–June 2026.
China to Lift Suspension of Eight Ecuadorian Shrimp Exporters
Ecuador says China will lift the export suspension affecting eight shrimp companies, according to the government’s account ahead of Daniel Noboa’s Asia trip. The wider agenda includes the Ecuador-China trade agreement, investment, and access for products from the Sierra Centro.
Ecuador Banana Sector Presses Europe On Price And Sustainability
The export sector says retail pricing obscures production standards and is preparing for the European Union’s 2030 due-diligence regime.
SCE Authorizes Santa Priscila Acquisition Of Ecuaprotein Assets
Ecuador's Superintendency of Competition cleared Industrial Pesquera Santa Priscila to acquire Ecuaprotein assets used for shrimp and fish hydrolysates. The transaction strengthens vertical positioning for one of Ecuador's largest companies, though the authority did not disclose the purchase price.
El Nino Reprices Ecuador Commodity Risk Across Cacao, Coffee, Bananas And Rice
El Nino is moving from weather risk into commodity pricing. Ecuador-exposed products show pressure across cacao, coffee, bananas and rice, with potential consumer-price pass-through over 12 to 20 months.
China Suspends Shrimp Imports From Six Ecuadorian Companies
China suspended shrimp imports from seven Ecuadorian plants tied to six companies from June 30, while May rejections reached 132 lots and about 2,904 tons. The issue matters because China accounts for more than half of Ecuador’s shrimp export market.
Ecuador Rice Industry Targets 50,000 Tons To Colombia After July 20 Route Reopening
Ecuador’s rice sector expects to resume land shipments to Colombia after July 20 and is targeting roughly 50,000 tons in second-half exports, according to the sector projection cited by Corpcom.
Ecuador Fisheries Face El Niño Supply Pressure As Tuna Catches Fall More Than 13%
Ecuador’s fishing sector is seeing lower availability as El Niño-linked warming redistributes marine resources. Tuna catches are down more than 13% versus 2025, while smaller coastal species used for fishmeal are under a July 1-August 9 closure.
Ecuador Launches Tuna Executive Table With Harvard Growth Lab Support
Ecuador’s public sector, private tuna actors, international organizations, Harvard Growth Lab, and CAF joined the first Mesa Ejecutiva del Sector Atunero. The mechanism is designed to produce concrete actions, assigned responsibilities, deadlines, and permanent follow-up for one of Ecuador’s core export chains.
LATAM 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.