Ecuador maize growers say 600,000 tonnes remain unsold as road protests loom

Growers report stalled purchases

Ecuadorian maize producers say about 600,000 tonnes of grain remain unmarketed in fields because the national animal-feed industry is not purchasing the crop. A producer statement announced possible road closures on September 1, 2026, in an effort to secure renewed buying and an official response to the accumulation. The document carried no responsible signature, but José Luis García, coordinator of Defensa del Agricultor, confirmed the sector’s discontent to Diario EXPRESO.

García told EXPRESO that collection centers operated by the industry remain closed. The immediate dispute therefore concerns access to buyers as much as the total volume available. For farmers holding grain, continued delays increase commercial pressure at a time when diesel and fertilizer costs have also risen. For domestic feed manufacturers, the claimed surplus raises questions about why locally produced maize is not moving through established procurement channels.

Higher yields meet weaker demand

The buildup follows a sharp improvement in farm productivity. According to García, Ecuador’s average maize yield increased from five to seven tonnes per hectare. That gain expanded available supply, but growers say purchasing has not kept pace. The result is a mismatch between a stronger harvest and the capacity or willingness of domestic industry to absorb it under current market conditions.

García put the reference price for maize at between $17.45 and $19, without specifying the pricing unit in comments reported by EXPRESO. He said some growers are currently receiving about $17 because buyers are scarce, leaving the market a few cents below the minimum support price. The lower offers compound the impact of more expensive diesel and fertilizer: higher yields have produced more grain, but not necessarily better margins if farmers must accept discounted prices or leave the crop unsold.

Import dispute puts government under pressure

Growers also allege that the feed industry is pressing the government to authorize imports. García argues that domestic output is sufficient to cover demand and says imported maize would displace Ecuadorian production, affecting rural employment and farm incomes. EXPRESO reported his call for a public policy that prioritizes national production. No industry response or official assessment of the claimed 600,000-tonne surplus was included in the source material.

García asked the government to convene the Maize Consultative Council for a technical review of supply and demand and to determine whether a deficit exists that could justify imports. Such a review would be central to resolving the competing positions: growers want collection centers reopened and local grain prioritized, while any import authorization would require evidence that domestic supply cannot meet the feed sector’s requirements. Unless purchases resume or the government provides a market intervention, the announced road blockades could turn a crop-marketing dispute into a wider logistics problem on September 1.