Ecuador’s shrimp exports to China exceeded 500,000 tons in the first six months of 2022 after a month of sharp increases in shrimp exports to China.
According to Ecuador’s Camara Nacional de Acuacultura, Ecuador exported 510,867 tons at the end of June, the first country ever to export 500,000 tons in six months.
Ecuadorian exports to China in 2020-2021 grew slowly due to COVID-19. In 2020, exports to China rose only 3% after shrimp packaging was detected contaminated with COVID recurrently.
In the first six months of 2022, Ecuador’s exports to China resumed rapid growth to 269,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 69%. Prices are also higher, with the average unit price of exports to China at $6.07/kg last month, up 4% year-on-year. In the first half of 2022, exports to China reached 48,000 tons in June, up 45% year-on-year.
In addition to strong exports to China, Ecuador’s exports to both the US and Europe reached 17,000 tons, both up 5% year-on-year.
Overall, Ecuador exported 95,000 tons of shrimp in June, a record high and up 37% year-on-year. Huge shrimp exports have generated record revenue for Ecuador’s shrimp industry. In June, Ecuador exported shrimp worth US$599 million, up 44% year-on-year.