Ecuadorian agricultural exports face regional growth and domestic energy challenges

Ecuadorian banana exports to the Middle East grew by 16.6% between January and August 2026, reaching 43.90 million boxes. Despite logistical pressures in the Strait of Hormuz and rising freight costs, the region accounted for 15.55% of the country's total banana exports. Turkey and Saudi Arabia have emerged as primary entry points, with Turkey seeing a 55.5% increase and Saudi Arabia a 38.9% increase in shipments. These hubs serve as transit points for other regional markets, such as Iraq, Syria, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman.

Simultaneously, Ecuador's cocoa sector faces economic challenges due to domestic electricity shortages. While cocoa exports reached $485 million through August 2026, power outages are driving up operational costs. The National Association of Cocoa Exporters of Ecuador (Anecacao) noted that companies are incurring higher expenses for diesel and electric generators to maintain production. For some processors, such as NutriCacao, downtime is estimated to cost approximately $300 per hour.