Ecuador’s animal protein exports continue to open up international markets. On this occasion, the poultry sector delivered 28 tons of chicken meat to the Bahamas for the first time.

This was reported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) and the Agency for Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Regulation and Control (Agrocalidad), which confirmed that the product meets the requirements of the importing country to guarantee that this lot has quality parameters. This new market opening is added to the one Pronaca got last April by exporting – also for the first time – 22.5 tons of pork to Ivory Coast, as part of a pilot plan.

Ecuador exported pork for the first time and does not rule out being a beef supplier from 2025.

However, this first export of chicken meat, from Avícola San Isidro (Avisid), located in the canton of Isidro Ayora (Guayas), takes place in the midst of a phytosanitary emergency declared in November 2022 due to the occurrence of bird flu outbreaks in five provinces of the country that caused the disappearance of about 1.2 million birds. The first phase of vaccination is currently being developed.

In this regard, MAG indicated that “Agrocalidad’s timely work in light of the avian influenza emergency allowed this first export to be carried out within the stipulated time.”

Meanwhile, according to data from the poultry industry, Ecuador annually produces 263 million chickens, 495 thousand tons of meat and 3.802 million table eggs. The consumption of chicken per capita in the country is 28 kilograms per year.

Diana Espín, executive director of the National Corporation of Poultry Breeders of Ecuador (Conave), pointed out that “this export is the first solid step towards the goal” of feeding not only Ecuador, but also the world with quality proteins.

The consumption of pork moves from second place to beef in the preferences of Ecuadorians

For his part, Patricio Almeida, CEO of Agrocalidad, emphasized that this export is a starting point for more operators to improve their production, health, welfare and safety conditions and thus send more quality proteins to new international markets.