Ecuador’s shrimp exports broke its all-time record in May 2026 as both volume and value continue to outpace 2025, according to industry blog ShrimpInsights.
According to the latest figures from Ecuador’s National Aquaculture Chamber (CNA), the country exported 165,538 metric tons (MT) of shrimp in May, an increase of 9 percent year on year and the highest export total for a single month ever for the country. Historically, May has been the month Ecuador exports the most shrimp during the year, and this record breaks the 151,521 MT record the country set last year.
“May is typically a high-volume month for Ecuador. In 2024 and 2025, May was already the strongest month of the year, while in 2022 and 2023, it also ranked among the highest-volume months,” ShrimpInsights Founder and Analyst Willem van der Pijl said. “In that sense, the 2026 pattern follows Ecuador’s recent seasonal trend. But the scale of this year’s May shipment is exceptional.”
Ecuador’s shrimp export value also hit a high, reaching USD 847 million (EUR 740 million), an increase of 8 percent year over year.
For the full year, Ecuador has exported 668,763 MT of shrimp, which is ahead of last year by 13 percent. In value terms, Ecuador has exported USD 3.52 billion (EUR 3.1 billion) worth of shrimp, up 12 percent.
According to van der Pijl, China has continued to be Ecuador’s largest shrimp market. In May, the country exported 83,466 MT of shrimp, an increase of 1 percent year over year. Year-to-date, Ecuador has sent 342,669 MT of shrimp to China, up 17 percent.
The U.S. has also become a growth market for Ecuadorian shrimp. It sent 32,715 MT of shrimp to the U.S. in May, up 23 percent year over year. That brought its total exports to the U.S. to 145,696 MT, an increase of 29 percent.
Exports to the E.U. also ticked up to 28,512 MT in May, an increase of 9 percent year over year. Full-year totals remain lower, however, with Ecuador only sending 98,586 MT to the E.U. so far, down 12 percent, according to van der Pijl.
So far, Ecuador’s shrimp export volumes and values have been higher every single month of 2026.
“Ecuador’s May performance confirms that the country is not only maintaining its growth trajectory but also pushing the ceiling of global shrimp supply higher once again,” van der Pijl said.
