Ecuador and India continue to be the two leading shrimp producing countries in the world. Both countries broke export records in 2025, while Ecuador continues to maintain record growth in 2026.
According to data compiled and shared at the forum by Willem van der Pijl, CEO and co-founder of the Global Shrimp Forum, Ecuador set a new record in the second quarter of 2026, with shrimp exports reaching nearly 450,000 tons, a 14% increase compared to the previous second-quarter record set in 2025.
On a monthly basis, Ecuador’s shrimp exports have consistently been higher than the same period of the previous year in every month. In particular, in July 2026, exports increased by as much as 49% compared to the same period.
“We saw a new record in May, easily surpassing 150,000 tonnes. But I think what’s more surprising are the latest figures for July,” van der Pijl said.
El Niño could continue to boost Ecuador’s shrimp production.
Typically, Ecuador’s shrimp exports tend to decline in July due to the country’s changing weather patterns. Last year, exports in this month only reached just over 100,000 tons.
However, this year the figure has exceeded 150,000 tons. According to van der Pijl, one of the possible reasons is the impact of the El Niño phenomenon.
“I believe July was the first sign of the early El Niño phase, when temperatures remained high but rain had not yet appeared. This meant shrimp in Ecuador grew better, leading to a new record – far surpassing all previous records – in July,” he said.
If the warm weather and favorable farming conditions continue, Ecuador has the potential to set new records. However, the timing of the rains will be crucial.
If growth rates remain at the usual pace of around 15% per year, a rate that Ecuador has achieved or even surpassed for most years of the past decade, the country’s shrimp exports could reach 1.6 million tons in 2026.
If this happens, Ecuador would become the world’s largest supplier of shrimp, far ahead of other countries.
“This number could be even higher, depending on how El Niño develops,” van der Pijl commented.
The Ecuadorian shrimp export market is changing
While Ecuador continues to set new records for shrimp production and export, the markets receiving Ecuadorian shrimp are also beginning to change.
China remains Ecuador’s main market, accounting for over 50% of the country’s total shrimp exports in the first half of 2026 (H1/2026).
However, the US has quickly become the second largest market, surpassing the EU. If current trends continue, Ecuadorian shrimp exports to the US could reach approximately 360,000 tons in 2026.
Several other countries also recorded significant import growth, likely due to their search for shrimp raw materials for further processing.
Ecuador has begun developing its domestic processing capacity, but according to van der Pijl, the structure of export destinations shows that the country is still exporting a significant amount of raw shrimp for other countries to further process.
“If you look at the destinations and think a little about what’s happening in those countries, you can clearly see the role of recycling,” van der Pijl said.
Vietnam recorded growth in 2026 after strong growth in 2025. Malaysia also saw increased exports in 2025 and continued growth in 2026.
“There are quite a few other smaller markets that also serve the recycling industry,” van der Pijl said.
Santa Priscilla leads Ecuador’s shrimp exports to the US.
Among Ecuadorian shrimp exporters, Santa Priscila continues to hold a prominent position, accounting for approximately 25% of total Ecuadorian shrimp exports to the United States.
Ecuador’s top five shrimp companies currently account for 75% of the country’s total shrimp exports to the US market.
As Ecuador continues to expand its market share in the US, it is on track to surpass India as the largest supplier of shrimp to the US market.
Indian exports are stable, but actual production may be higher
According to data compiled by van der Pijl, India’s shrimp exports are expected to remain relatively stable in 2026 after a 9% increase in 2025.
However, this increase does not fully reflect the actual situation of the Indian shrimp industry.
“India has had to diversify, reducing its dependence on the US market. Other markets have a higher proportion of shell-on shrimp and less peeled shrimp. So, if converted to equivalent weight, the actual production may have decreased slightly,” van der Pijl said.
In 2026, India’s export volume remained stable compared to 2025.
However, the US resuming shrimp imports from India also needs to be considered. The US market tends to import more peeled shrimp, while peeled shrimp are generally lighter in weight compared to unpeeled products.
Therefore, India’s actual shrimp production may be increasing significantly, even if total export volumes do not yet clearly reflect this increase.
“India continues to surprise us. The resilience of the industry is truly remarkable,” van der Pijl commented.
High farmgate prices for shrimp support Indian farmers
Another important factor in India is that the farmgate price of shrimp in 2026 has increased slightly when adjusted for exchange rates.
Although shrimp prices in USD may have fallen slightly, the depreciation of the Indian rupee (INR) means that farmers are actually receiving higher prices.
“This is important because the decision to stock a second crop is driven by pond prices. The sentiment within the Indian shrimp farming community isn’t overly negative,” van der Pijl said.
If current trends continue, van der Pijl forecasts that India could approach 800,000 tonnes of shrimp exports in 2026, provided that farmgate prices continue to motivate farmers and production remains favorable in the second half of the year.
Ecuador has the opportunity to surpass India
Despite the remarkable resilience of India’s shrimp industry, US import data suggests India could fall behind Ecuador in 2026.
Ecuador continues to maintain steady growth compared to the same period last year, while India’s total exports are increasing at a slower pace.
If this trend continues into the final months of the year, Ecuador is likely to surpass India to become the largest supplier of shrimp to the US market in 2026, further solidifying its position as one of the world’s largest shrimp production and export hubs.
