US shrimp imports fall 16% in April as Ecuador strengthens market position
Ecuador increased exports to the US by 17% in April, overtaking other major suppliers.
USA – US shrimp imports declined for another month in April 2026 as weaker demand continued to weigh on the market, with import volumes falling 16% year on year to 58,712 tonnes.
Trade data showed the United States imported 240,368 tonnes of shrimp during the first four months of 2026, representing a 12% decline from the same period in 2025, while the value of imports fell 10% to US$2.139 billion.
Frozen peeled shrimp remained the largest product category in April, with imports reaching 31,404 tonnes, although volumes were 12% lower than a year earlier.
Imports of frozen peeled shrimp totalled 125,788 tonnes between January and April, marking a 9% decline compared with the corresponding period in 2025.
Frozen whole shrimp imports dropped 16% to 15,150 tonnes during April, while shipments of cooked and marinated shrimp recorded the steepest decline among the major product categories, falling 35% to 6,900 tonnes.
Breaded shrimp was the only product segment to register growth during the month, with imports increasing 1% year on year to 5,219 tonnes.
For the first four months of 2026, breaded shrimp imports rose 11%, contrasting with the declines recorded across the other shrimp product categories.
Ecuador becomes leading supplier
Ecuador emerged as the largest supplier of shrimp to the US market in April after exporting 23,304 tonnes, representing a 17% increase compared with the same month last year.
Shipments from Ecuador reached 86,273 tonnes during the first four months of the year, up 15% from the same period in 2025, allowing the country to further expand its share of the US import market.
In contrast, exports from several traditional suppliers declined significantly during April as US demand remained subdued.
India exported 15,890 tonnes of shrimp to the United States during the month, a 40% decrease from a year earlier, while shipments from Indonesia fell 24% to 10,578 tonnes.
Vietnam’s exports declined 29% to 2,785 tonnes, while Thailand shipped 1,976 tonnes, representing an 11% year on year decrease.
The latest figures indicate that Ecuador continues to gain ground in the US shrimp market as imports from competing suppliers weaken amid lower overall demand.
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