Ecuadorian shrimp exports rose 16 percent by volume in May to 125.3 million pounds, hoisted by Chinese demand, figures from trade group Camara Nacional de Acuacultura (CNA) show.

The value of Ecuador's shrimp exports worldwide rose 2 percent in May to just over $318 million (€283.5 million).

The volume Ecuador's shrimp exports to China jumped 114 percent in May from the same month last year to 60.7 million pounds, while the value of those exports rose 85 percent to $152.3 million (€135.8 million).

Seafood companies have been increasingly turning their attention to Asia, even shifting products from other markets such as Europe and elsewhere to the lucrative Chinese market.

In the first five months of 2019, Ecuador's global shrimp exports climbed by 23 percent to 554 million pounds. Revenue from those exports from January to May totaled nearly $1.5 billion (€1.3 billion), a 9 percent increase.

China has overtaken Vietnam as the largest export destination for Ecuadorian shrimp. Vietnam was previously a back door into the Chinese market for foreign producers, but over the past 12 months sales to China’s neighbor have fallen sharply.

Vietnam's Ecuadorian shrimp imports peaked in April 2018, but began to fall following a widespread crackdown on illegal seafood imports by Chinese authorities.

While shipments to China from Ecuador in the first five months of the year were up 220 percent at 233.5 million pounds, volumes to Vietnam were down 38 percent to 122.9 million lbs.

Likewise, revenues from exports to China were $601.4 million (€536.2 million), almost double the total to Vietnam and a complete turnaround from the same period of 2018.

Ecuadorian production has increased in the past few years leaving the industry better placed to respond to demand.

Ecuadorian shrimp farmers Santa Priscila and Omarsa, the largest and second-largest shrimp producers in the country, respectively, have increased their production capacity significantly this year.

Figures also reveal the extent to which exports are returning to Brazil after largely being shut out by a ban on imports by Brazilian authorities for health reasons since 1999.

In the first five months of this year Ecuador shipped 154,700 pounds of shrimp to Brazil worth $686,619 (€612,170).

At the end of 2018 the Brazilian supreme court that ruled Ecuadorian shrimp imports can resume, citing effects on consumers and prospects of international trade sanctions by continued exclusion.

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Ecuador shrimp exports spike as Chinese demand shows no signs of slowing