Within 3 years-time, Ecuador’s exports of canned tuna to the United States (US) skydived from 20.000 tons to less than 1000 tons.

In 2004, Ecuador delivered 20.801 tons of canned tuna to the US. The trend from 2004 until September 2007 has been heading downwards so tepidly, that it seems Ecuador will not recover its position in the US market.

As you will see in the graph here below, the drop in 2005 represented almost 35% with a total of 13.555 tons compared to 2004. But that was nothing in contrast with to the fall Ecuadorian exports to the US took in 2006 of 78% with a tonnage of only 2.910 tons that year.



The latest figures indicate that up to the 3rd quarter of 2007, exports reached only 593 M/T.

According to Infofish, the fall of Ecuadorian exports of canned tuna to the US was mainly due to both the ending of the FTA negotiation between these two countries, as well as upcoming expiration of the US’ Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA) in February this year. As a result, US buyers are reluctant to make new orders because of uncertainly over renewal of preferential tariff for canned tuna under ATPDEA.

Other factors which had an influence on such a radical drop are the extremely low Eastern Pacific catches; this combined with increasing demand from Europe  -thus redirecting sales off the US- and more production for the domestic Latin American markets.

Now the largest export market for Ecuadorian tuna products is Spain, nevertheless still followed by the US.