Ecuador's fish exports grew 9.11% in the first quarter of 2021

The country's tuna processing sector is the one that stands out the most, since it has managed to triple its export volume during the last 10 years.

During the first quarter of 2021, Ecuador's fish exports totaled$ 417.97 million, surpassing in9,11 %the amount registered in the first quarter of 2020, according to figures from theNational Chamber of Fisheries, which also highlighted that more than100.000people work directly in the sector.

One of its icon products and most valued in the international market, tuna, makes theEcuador in the second producer in the world, after Thailand; The country has the most powerful tuna fleet in the eastern Pacific: it has116 boats, with a capacity of93,000 tons.

According to figures from theEcuadorian Federation of Exporters (Fedexpor), the country's tuna processing sector has managed to triple its export volume during the last ten years. The contribution of this product represents the8 %of total non-oil sales.

However, despite the good performance of fisheries exports, players in the sector, such as Real Industrial Business (Nirsa), indicate actions to further promote these products in the world, such as increasing the number of maritime routes to international ports, increasing the availability of containers and achieving greater synergies to facilitate access to quality and sustainability certifications at the country level.

So indicatedGustavo Arroyat, Director of International Sales at Nirsa, which in 2020 exported29,500 tonsfrom tuna to 32 countries; among the main ones are Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Peru and Argentina.

Nirsa, through its Real brand, has entered the North American market, a country where the acceptance of its products has been successful due to the wide line that it offers in tuna (in various presentations and sizes), as well as onions and also in sardines (both in oil and in tomato sauce) with which the brand arrives. Currently, the company markets its products in supermarkets in the states of New York and New Jersey, with expansion plans to other states.

“The consistency in the quality of Ecuadorian products has made other countries choose them. On the other hand, I consider that the success of the internationalization of Nirsa is due to the long-term vision, the constant search for opportunities and the extreme care in the quality of all our products: I consider that they have been the three fundamental pillars to achieve the success, which represents pride at the country level that an Ecuadorian company stands out internationally, ”said Arroyat.