Ecuador–Peru Trade Reached USD 1.23 Billion in the First Half of 2026

Ecuador’s commercial relationship with Peru accelerated in the first half of 2026. Bilateral trade reached USD 1.2267 billion, a 33.5% increase from the same period a year earlier.

Exports, imports, and the balance

Ecuadorian exports to Peru grew 40% to USD 561.3 million, making Peru the country’s fifth export destination. Imports from Peru reached USD 665.4 million, up 28% from the first half of 2025.

That left Ecuador with a USD 104 million trade deficit with Peru. Peru also became Ecuador’s third-largest import supplier, behind the United States and China.

The trade shift is not happening in isolation. Purchases from Colombia fell 34% between February and May 2026, a period that coincided with the commercial dispute between the two countries. That decline helped Peru move into the third supplier position.

What is moving across the border

The product mix connects energy, agriculture, and logistics. Petroleum is Ecuador’s main export to Peru, while Ecuador imports fuels and lubricants from the neighboring country.

There is also a shrimp connection. Ecuador imports shrimp feed from Peru and then exports shrimp into the Peruvian market. The commercial relationship therefore includes both finished products and inputs used in Ecuador’s own export chain.

The companies and products matter because a trade increase is not only a customs statistic. It creates demand for transport, warehousing, payments, compliance, and cross-border business services. For an expat operating a company in Ecuador, the relevant opportunity may be in the support layer around trade rather than in exporting a commodity directly.

Investment is part of the same story

Peruvian foreign direct investment in Ecuador rose more than 700% in the first quarter, from USD 12.2 million to USD 101.6 million, according to the figures cited in the report.

Alicorp announced the purchase of Jabonería Wilson in October 2025. Promart opened its first Quito store at the end of 2024 and has a plan for 20 stores; at the time of the report, it had three in Quito and two in Guayaquil.

These are different forms of commercial presence: industrial acquisition, retail expansion, and supply-chain trade. Taken together, they show why the Ecuador–Peru relationship is relevant beyond the border crossings themselves.

What this means for expats

Residents should not assume a 33.5% increase in bilateral trade will translate into a specific price change or a guaranteed job opportunity. The data describes aggregate movement, not an individual household outcome.

For business owners, however, the direction is worth tracking. Peru is becoming more important as a supplier and market while Ecuador’s relationship with Colombia is temporarily under pressure. That can affect sourcing decisions, delivery routes, inventory planning, and the choice of regional partners.

The next question is whether this first-half acceleration continues after the Colombia dispute eases. For now, Peru is a clear commercial growth point in Ecuador’s regional map.