Russian Shrimp Imports From Ecuador Up 15% To 14,000 Tonnes In Six Months

Russia imported 14,000 tonnes of shrimp from Ecuador in H1 2025, up 15% compared to the same period last year, according to data from Ecuador’s National Aquaculture Chamber.

The value of shipments rose 30%, reaching US$70 million. Russia’s share in Ecuador’s shrimp exports slightly increased, accounting for 4% in both volume and value terms.

Russian fishermen themselves also caught approximately 15,000 tonnes of shrimp in H1, up 11% compared to the same period last year.

Russia has been completely reinventing all its supply chains since the termination of trade with Europe in 2022 and has been sourcing from emerging markets in the global south instead. In Ecuador 99% of shrimp are raised in special ponds, making the country the world’s leading producer and exporter of farmed shrimp. Wild shrimp are also harvested, but in small quantities and are mainly sold on the local market. The shrimp farming sector in Ecuador contributes significantly to the country’s GDP and exports and is considered a major employer – in 2021 it was reported that the sector supports about 275,000 jobs.

Ecuador’s aquaculture industry is dominated by marine shrimp (Litopenaeus spp.), making it the world’s leading producer and exporter of farmed shrimp. Tilapia and other freshwater fish are also cultured on a smaller scale, primarily in the inter-Andean region. The shrimp farming sector is a major employer and a significant contributor to the nation’s GDP and exports.