Ecuador becomes top prawn exporter

Ecuador’s rise in shrimp exports is not just a trade ranking story. It is also a case study in how one producer scaled a commodity business through farm productivity, market diversification and heavy adoption of aquaculture technology. By 2025, Ecuador had exported 3.07 billion pounds of shrimp, up 15.1% from 2024, according to figures cited by SeafoodSource from Ecuador’s National Aquaculture Chamber, or CNA. Rajesh Sawhney said in a Sept. 8 post on X that Ecuador had become the world’s top prawn exporter by combining technology and innovation with execution across the supply chain. The broad direction of that claim is supported by industry and trade reporting showing Ecuador extending its lead in 2026 after a record 2025. ### How did Ecuador get ahead of India? (seafoodsource.com) Ecuador and India were the two dominant shrimp-exporting countries in 2025, but their trajectories diverged in early 2025. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization’s Globefish service said India reported lower vannamei harvests in January-April 2025, while Ecuador increased output over the same period. (seafoodsource.com) By February 2026, SeafoodSource reported that Ecuador’s farmed shrimp exports had reached $7.47 billion in 2025, up 23.2% year over year. In volume terms, that amounted to 3.07 billion pounds, while the report said the country’s three main markets — China, Europe and the United States — accounted for 90.5% of shipments by volume. September 2026 data presented at the Global Shrimp Forum showed Ecuador still accelerating. (fao.org) Willem van der Pijl, managing director and co-founder of the forum, said Ecuador set a new second-quarter export record in 2026 at nearly 450,000 metric tons, up 14% from its previous Q2 record in 2025, and that July exports jumped 49% year on year. (seafoodsource.com) ### What does “technology and innovation” mean in this industry? Guayaquil-based industry groups have been explicit that digital tools are now part of the sector’s operating model. The CNA says it publishes recurring market and export data for shrimp, while the Sustainable Shrimp Partnership and CNA used an April 14, 2026 SustainED event to focus on digital solutions and new technologies being adopted across the shrimp value chain. (seafoodsource.com) Skretting, a major aquaculture feed supplier, said its Ecuador program integrates real-time production monitoring, feed management and smart feeders from Eruvaka to help farmers benchmark production cycles and manage harvest predictions. That is company-supplied evidence rather than an independent audit, but it shows the types of tools being deployed in Ecuador’s farms. (cna-ecuador.com) Industry groups have also tied innovation to nutrition, hatchery performance and operational efficiency. SeafoodSource reported in May that Ecuador’s shrimp sector was using conferences and training programs to spread digital solutions across the value chain, from farm management to processing. (skretting.com) ### Why has Ecuador been able to scale so fast? Ecuador’s export mix has helped cushion demand shocks. In 2025, China still took nearly half of Ecuador’s shrimp volume, but its share fell to 49.5% from 54.2% a year earlier, suggesting broader market diversification even as total exports rose. FAO said Ecuador was among the suppliers benefiting from increased output while some Asian producers faced weaker prices and softer conditions. (seafoodsource.com) The same FAO note said Ecuador’s offer prices in export trade during January-May 2025 were the lowest among major suppliers, which helps explain its competitiveness in price-sensitive markets. (seafoodsource.com) ### Is the “top exporter” claim fully settled? The answer depends on whether “top” means volume, value or a specific destination market. The available reporting strongly supports Ecuador’s leadership by export volume and its continued gains against India, but not every source frames leadership the same way. The CNA continues to publish monthly and annual shrimp export reports, and Global Shrimp Forum data is still being updated as 2026 progresses. (fao.org) Those are the places to watch for the next hard read on whether Ecuador extends its lead over India through the rest of the year. (cna-ecuador.com) (seafoodsource.com)