Ecuador is the world’s largest shrimp producer, according to Aquaculture magazine

Ecuador is the first country to produce one million tons of shrimp, pointed out the specialized magazine Aquaculture. This would make it the world’s largest producer of shrimp.

At ranking published by the magazine it is detailed that Ecuador leads the list of the largest shrimp producers in 2021, followed by China, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, South America, Mexico, Central America, the United States and Europe.

The President of the Republic, Guillermo Lasso, Through a chat with the media, he applauded the recognition and reiterated that “this is a reason to congratulate all shrimp businessmen; their effort, their dedication and their fighting spirit have allowed this achievement ”.

Lasso recalled that in 1998, the white spot threatened to disappear this activity. “The resilience and dedication of entrepreneurs it allowed the survival of an activity that generates more than $ 5 billion in exports ”.

For José Antonio Camposano, President of the Chamber of Aquaculture (CNA)Although the news highlights the world leadership of the Ecuadorian shrimp sector, these figures must be taken with caution, since there are certain discrepancies with the official reports of several countries.

Despite this, it highlights that, in the case of Ecuador, it is worth making clarifications. First of all, explain, that the current production volume responds to a long process of adjustment of the production system, especially, through improvements in the nutrition, management and modernization of crops. “This without affecting the delicate balances with the surrounding ecosystem and maintaining the high quality characteristic of Ecuadorian shrimp,” says the union leader.

According to data from the union, between January and November 2021, the shrimp sector reached shipments for $ 4,539 million, 34% more compared to 2020 when $ 3,391 million were exported.

Shrimp reached a record number of exports until October

The amount of shrimp exported is equivalent to 1,669 million pounds, 20% more than 2020 when it reached 1,395 million pounds.

The figure reached in 2021, both in volume and in dollars, is one of the highest in the last five years. Until 2017, Ecuador had exported $ 2,584 million and 846 million pounds of the crustacean.

With that performance, the shrimp became the most important non-oil product within the traditional basket of the country, followed by bananas.

The CNA highlights that all this good performance is due to the investments made in the last three years by the sector. Reconfiguring the industry to export much more to the United States, changing the type of product offered (more tail, less whole shrimp).

In addition, the element of productive chain since, in the last two years, more 10,000 direct jobs.

Bananas, on the other hand, suffered a drop in their shipments until November. According to data from the Banana Marketing and Export Association (Acorbanec), the sector exported 345.20 million boxes, between January and November, 0.85% less than what was sold in the same period of 2020.

The drop in shipments of the fruit is due to a decrease in boxes placed in destinations such as Russia, the Middle East, East Asia, the United Kingdom, Oceania, EFTA and Canada. (I)