Ecuador sets new shrimp export record

Shrimp Insights highlighted that alongside setting a new all-time first-half export record, Ecuador also posted new highs for both first-quarter and second-quarter trade volumes, while the export value grew even faster, reaching US$ 3.79 billion, up 26% compared to H1 2024.

Its figures confirm that after a strong Q1 performance (January–March: 326,412 tonnes, +19% year-on-year), exports in Q2 (April–June) jumped to 392,741 tonnes, marking +16% year-on-year growth. May was the standout month with a record-breaking 151,521 tonnes (+21% year-on-year,) while June followed with 126,074 tonnes (+18% year-on-year).

A similar trend was seen with the export value, with May bringing a new monthly export value record at $785 million (+30% year-on-year), and June added another $659 million (+26%).

With regards to markets, the European Union has been Ecuador’s fastest-growing market in 2025, with exports to the bloc reaching 134,632 tonnes(up 39% year-on-year), with consistent growth across all six months. This, Shrimp Insights said, reflects strong demand from southern and northwestern Europe.

Within Europe, France emerged as one of the standout growth markets for Ecuadorian shrimp in the first-half of 2025, with imports surging to 33,687 tonnes – more than double H1 2024’s 14,933 tonnes. This growth far outpaces that of other key European markets: United Kingdom +51% (year-on-year), Spain (+42%) and Italy (+20%).

China, which is Ecuador’s largest shrimp market by volume, grew more modestly in H1 2025, with total exports reaching 358,277 tonnes – up 8% year-on-year. April showed a temporary decline (-15%), but strong performances in May and June helped rebalance growth. Meanwhile, the United States imported 134,401 tonnes of shrimp from Ecuador in the first six months, growing 13% year-on-year.

Other notable markets included Russia with 14,009 tonnes of imports (+14% year-on-year) and Japan with 9,685 tonnes (+55%).

According to Shrimp Insights, if the current trends hold, Ecuador could exceed 1.5 million tonnes in shrimp exports by year-end. This, it said, would be “a historic milestone”.

It added: “This scenario is increasingly likely as the US trade war under Trump tilts global demand away from Asia and toward Latin American suppliers. With Ecuador already dominating the HOSO and HLSO raw frozen category, further gains in peeled and cooked exports will determine whether this ambitious mark is reached.”