Ecuador to seek new markets for shrimp sector

Ecuador's National Aquaculture Chamber (CNA) president Cesar Monge and Foreign Commerce vice minister Eduardo Egas met on Friday (Feb 27) in Guayaquil, Ecuador, to identify new markets for the shrimp sector and discuss problems currently affecting the leading Ecuadorian product.

FSIS reported that official data revealed that Ecuadorian shrimp sales fell 20 percent in December 2008 and January 2009 as a result of the global financial crisis.

On the issue, Egas explained that the reduction of traditional markets in Ecuador makes the search for new clients imperative.

He told local media that the commercial opportunities and new market niches are in Russia, Mexico and in the Middle East, adding that work must be jointly carried out to achieve a relatively quick opening.

Mongue highlighted that the most important markets for the Ecuadorian shrimp farming sector continue to be the US and Europe which together acquire more than 90 percent of the total marketed.