The CNA has stated that this new cost represents a direct impact on the sector's competitiveness.

New Tax on Key Shrimp Input Raises Sector's Annual Costs by $ 4 Million

ECUADOR
Friday, December 12, 2025, 05:00 (GMT + 9)

The Ministry of the Interior's measure on sodium metabisulfite, used as a preservative, adds to the tariff surcharge in the United States, impacting the competitiveness of Ecuador's main export industry.

Ecuador's shrimp sector faces a new blow to its production costs, estimated at around $ 4 million per year, due to the upcoming implementation of controls and an additional tax on a vital chemical input.

Starting January 1, 2026, a provision from the Ministry of the Interior aims to strengthen controls over sodium metabisulfite to prevent its diversion toward illicit activities. Although the National Chamber of Aquaculture (CNA) clarifies that sodium metabisulfite has a fully legitimate and safe use in the industry as a preservative to prevent the product's oxidation and decomposition, the new regulation requires the creation of a new guide and the payment of an additional fee, raising alarms within the guild.

Detail of the New Cost:

• Cost of the new guide: $ 6.58 per issuance.

• Impact on large companies: Annual expense between $ 30,000 and $ 50,000.

• Total aggregated cost for the sector: Would exceed $ 4 million annually, according to CNA estimates.

José Antonio Camposano (pictured) , executive president of the CNA, has stated that this new cost represents a direct impact on the sector's competitiveness.

This new financial burden is in addition to the challenge already posed by the tariff surcharge imposed by the United States on Ecuadorian shrimp exports—a crucial market.

Impact of the Surcharge in the U.S.:

• Current tariff: 10% since April, with an additional 5% starting August.

• Estimated annual cost for the sector: Around $ 200 million.

• Context: Shrimp is the primary Ecuadorian product in the U.S. market, totaling $ 1.480 billion in exports from January to September last year, according to figures from the Ecuadorian Federation of Exporters (Fedexpor).

Currently, the Ecuadorian shrimp sector absorbs the surcharge. The Ecuadorian Government continues negotiations with the United States government with the goal of reducing or eliminating this tariff.

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