Ecuador's shrimp producers posted a 26 percent increase in global exports in 2022, lifted by rebounding demand from China.

The South American nation shipped a record 2.34 billion pounds -- worth over $6.6 billion (€6 billion) -- up from 1.86 billion pounds in 2021.

Farmed shrimp production expected to stagnate as low prices, high feed costs and disease converge
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Shipments to China, by far Ecuador's largest market, climbed 51 percent to 1.3 billion pounds.

Although from a much smaller base, elsewhere in Asia there were sharp increases in exports to Vietnam and Japan as Ecuador looks to diversify its customer base.

Consignments to the United States, Ecuador's second biggest market, rose 6 percent to 431 million pounds.

Ecuador's exports to Europe, its third largest market, dipped 1 percent to 416 million pounds.

Following the invasion of Ukraine by President Vladimir Putin's armed forces in February 2022 exports to Russia dropped 29 percent to 38.6 million pounds.

December shrimp shipments to global destinations from Ecuador were up 6 percent versus the same month a year earlier at 197 million pounds.

Exports to China rose 20 percent to 116 million pounds in the closing month of 2022, while shipments to the United States were up 3 percent at 38.6 million pounds.

Consignments to Europe dropped 19 percent at just under 30 million pounds.

The Ecuadorian shrimp industry expects to be dealing with fallout from the global COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine well into 2023.

Jose Antonio Camposano, president of shrimp producers' trade body Camara Nacional de Aquacultura (CNA), made the forecast as part of a wide ranging interview looking at the outlook for 2023 and other issues affecting the industry including higher costs and low prices.

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