Browse Data and Analysis

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.

With solid political institutions, a stable macroeconomic environment, and well-functioning financial markets, Chile ranks amongst the highest nations in competitiveness in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the IMD (World Competitiveness Ranking, 2022).

In 2022 Honduras has made no modifications or changes to its existing regulatory framework. As of October 2022, Honduras had more than 52,000 hectares (ha) of genetically engineered (GE) Corn production, a 37 percent increase from calendar 2021.

FAS/San José anticipates Costa Rican orange production to rise to 305,000 metric tons in marketing year 2022/23, despite challenging growing conditions, as effective citrus greening management and increased density tree patterns drive yields higher.

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.

In marketing year (MY) 2021/22, citrus yields decreased due to frost during the winter in the Valparaíso, Metropolitana, and O’Higgins regions. FAS Santiago estimates lemon production to decrease by 30 percent to 140,000 metric tons (MT) in MY 2021/22 and to bounce back to 200,000 metric tons in MY 2022/23, assuming normal yields.

The members of the Pacific trade bloc Alliance advanced Costa Rica’s bid for full membership, charting a course for Costa Rica to formally join Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Chile in 2023.

U.S. exporters enjoy a strong position in the Honduran market, thanks to the CAFTA-DR agreement. More than 95 percent of U.S. industrial and commercial goods can enter the country duty free, with the remaining tariffs to be phased out by 2025. Import tariffs for rice and chicken leg quarters will be eliminated in 2023, as well as for dairy products in 2025.

In July 2021, authorities detected African Swine Fever (ASF) in the Dominican Republic (DR). The disease, which rapidly spread throughout the country, crippled local swine production, but boosted export opportunities for U.S. swine meat producers to the Dominican market.

Peruvian ethanol production in 2022 is forecast at 220 million liters, a slight increase compared to the previous year. Ethanol consumption for 2022 is forecast at 260 million liters. Peru is forecast to produce 208 million liters of biodiesel in 2022.

Panama made a policy change regarding Genetically Engineered (GE) plants, seeds and animals in 2022, through the recently approved Legislative Act which establishes the State Agri-food Policy and dictates other provisions.

Canada is the United States’ largest export market for pet food, specifically dog and cat food, and the third-largest export destination for all U.S. agricultural products. Canada is also the largest U.S. export market for high-value consumer-oriented products due to proximity, refined transportation logistics, a free trade agreement, and a science-based regulatory environment.