End of Shrimp Imports from Ecuador Announced by Brazil’s Agriculture Ministry

Minister André de Paula and the Secretary of Agricultural Defense at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa), Carlos Goulart, announced the termination of shrimp imports from Ecuador, which will take effect on December 9. The measure addresses the demands of Brazilian producers and reinforces the sanitary standards for imports. The decision was made after an audit by Mapa’s Agricultural Defense Secretariat (SDA) identified irregularities in Ecuadorian products. The announcement was made on Tuesday, December 3, at the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture (MPA) headquarters.

Earlier this year, Ministers Carlos Fávaro (Mapa) and André de Paula (MPA) met with representatives from the fisheries sector to discuss concerns regarding shrimp imports from Ecuador. They committed to implementing strategic measures to protect the Brazilian aquaculture production chain.

As a result of this dialogue, an international audit was conducted in Ecuador in November. The mission assessed the compliance of Ecuadorian veterinary services with Brazil’s sanitary requirements, particularly for shrimp exports. Secretary Carlos Goulart stated that technical evidence justified ending these imports. “The mission was a success, and starting December 9, the entry of shrimp from Ecuador into Brazil will no longer be permitted,” he stated.

He emphasized that Brazil maintains strict agricultural defense standards to ensure food safety: “If we are subjected to extremely high standards to export, we must adopt the same rigor for imports. An organized sector strengthens agricultural defense.”

For Minister André de Paula, collaboration between ministries and the private sector was essential to meet the demands of Brazilian producers. “Minister Fávaro, always supportive and reliable, endorsed the mission to Ecuador, which produced the results presented here. Regarding fishery exports, we will continue to expand our participation in international markets while maintaining the high sanitary standards required by our commercial partners,” he said.

With the prohibition of shrimp imports from Ecuador, the president of the Brazilian Association of Shrimp Farmers (ABCC), Itamar Rocha, believes the measure mitigates sanitary risks and maintains the high-quality standards of Brazilian production. Furthermore, closing the Ecuadorian market opens up opportunities for the Brazilian sector.

As the world’s leading shrimp exporter, Ecuador accounts for over 40% of the frozen shrimp imports to Brazil in 2024. According to data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), Brazilian shrimp production reached 127,400 tons in 2023, with consistent growth in production value since the beginning of the historical series in 2019. Shrimp farming is practiced in states across all country regions, with the highest concentration in the Northeast, where Ceará is the leading producer in Brazil.

Source: Diplomacia Business

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