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On January 20, 2022, the Constitutional Court of Ecuador declared the unconstitutionality of article 56 of the Law on Seeds, Agrobiodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture, which allowed the President of the Republic to authorize the introduction of GE...

This report identifies Ecuador’s import requirements for foreign export certificates, highlighting current procedures and identifying the relevant local agencies with oversight over these issues.

This report outlines Ecuador’s requirements for food and agricultural product imports. It is a guide to the regulations that exporters need to consider in order to enter their products into the Ecuadorian market.

Ecuador's sugar production in marketing year (MY) 2023/24 is forecast to remain at 530,000 MT, the same as the previous year's estimate, despite a significant increase in planted area of sugar cane.

The food processing industry is an important component of Ecuador’s manufacturing sector. This sector contributes 45 percent to Ecuador’s manufacturing gross domestic product and grossed $12 billion in net sales.

In 2022, the Government of Ecuador continued to support floor prices for local production of corn, rice, and wheat as well as began subsidizing the price of fertilizers for small producers.

Ecuador’s National Customs Service (SENAE) announced on February 2, 2023, that Distiller’s Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS) will no longer be subject to a 12 percent value added tax.

Despite continued economic constraints, U.S. – Ecuador bilateral agricultural and related product trade rose to $4.5 billion in 2022. In addition, U.S. agricultural and related product exports to Ecuador reached a record $741 million.

This report serves as a road map for U.S. companies exporting to Ecuador. While Ecuador is a challenging market for U.S. food and agricultural products, it is also one of opportunities. Domestic production cannot meet consumer demand, necessitating continued imports.

The retail industry is an important component of Ecuador’s economy. The 2022 forecasts for retail food sales is $24.9 billion and for consumer expenditures on food, beverages, and tobacco is $15.9 billion. Excellent sales prospects exist for U.S. food products to supply this sector.

The legal and regulatory situation to allow the planting of genetically engineered (GE) crops in Ecuador remains relatively the same as 2021. Commercial cultivation of GE crops is not permitted, however cultivation for research is allowed and an exception exists for GE products without recombinant or foreign DNA in the genome. A ruling by Ecuador’s Constitutional Court in early 2022 now makes it more difficult for the President to authorize exceptions to the GE ban.

The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (known as the Fødevarestyrelsen) has announced Denmark will lift its temporary ban on keeping mink as of January 1, 2023. The ban had initially been imposed for 2020/2021 for the sake of public health during the coronavirus pandemic and was later extended to include 2022.