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The United States and Ecuador have finalized a reciprocal trade agreement that eliminates a 15% surcharge on $2.8 billion in non-oil Ecuadorian exports and opens Ecuador's agricultural market to US soybeans, dairy, beef, and poultry. Most-favored-nation treatment takes effect by August 2026.
Amid confusion over Ecuador's IVA reclassification, the SRI has clarified that 94 out of 115 basic basket food items remain at 0% IVA. Fresh milk, raw meats, unprocessed produce, rice, lentils, and legumes are all tax-free. 21 items have moved to 15%. Here is what stays exempt -- and what this means for your grocery budget.
Police K-9 units intercepted nearly 22,000 dried shark fins weighing 1,905 kilograms at Guayaquil's Jose Joaquin de Olmedo International Airport on April 2. The shipment -- 75 bundles disguised as fish bladders -- was bound for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is one of Ecuador's largest shark fin seizures in recent years.
The UAE and Ecuador signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) during the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi's visit, unlocking over $3 billion in investment across clean energy, digital infrastructure, mining, logistics, and agriculture. Ecuador becomes the fourth Latin American country with a UAE trade deal.
The Banco Central del Ecuador confirmed that GDP grew 3.7% in 2025, pulling the country out of the 2% contraction it suffered in 2024. Growth was driven by exports (+6.4%), investment (+5.6%), and household consumption (+2.7%). The 2026 forecast is a more modest 1.8%.
The U.S. Trade Representative and Ecuador formalized a reciprocal trade deal covering approximately $2.786 billion in goods. U.S. beef tariffs will phase to zero over three years, pork tariffs are mostly eliminated, and Ecuador secures preferential treatment for over 90% of the U.S. agricultural schedule.
Ecuador shipped 125,200 tonnes of shrimp in January 2026, a 23% increase year-over-year. China remains the top buyer at 49.5% of volume, though its share has declined from 54.2% in 2024. The industry projects a 15% increase for the full year.
The World Bank forecasts Ecuador's economy will grow just 2% in 2026, among the lowest rates in Latin America. A fiscal deficit of 3-4% of GDP, expiring security contributions, weakening oil receipts, and likely tax reform paint a challenging picture.
Ecuador is positioned to become the world's second-largest cocoa grower behind Cote d'Ivoire. Anecacao projects exports exceeding 623,000 metric tons in 2026, up from 375,720 MT in 2023. The country is targeting 800,000 MT by the end of the decade.
A joint Europol-Ecuador operation dismantled a Los Lobos-linked trafficking network, seizing 3.7 tonnes of cocaine in the Netherlands, 3+ tonnes in Belgium, and over half a tonne in Ecuador. 16 arrested including a high-value target. $810,000 in cash confiscated.
Ecuador's Constitutional Court declared the Strategic Economic Cooperation Agreement (SECA) with South Korea constitutional, clearing the final legal hurdle. 98.8% of Ecuador's exportable products will enter Korea tariff-free, opening access to 51 million consumers.
In a CNN en Espanol interview on March 20, President Noboa defended Ecuador's commercial relationship with China while reaffirming the country's deepening military and diplomatic alliance with the United States.
