Milk and cream market in Ecuador

Earlier Report Observations

Production of milk and cream in Ecuador expanded to 2 588 thousand tonnes in 2019, a growth potentially supported by market innovations like new condensed milk flavors and variants launched the previous year. This upward trend reversed in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic caused a sharp drop in demand from institutional segments like schools and restaurants, reducing output to 2 398 thousand tonnes.

Output continued to decline over the next two years, reaching a low of 2 164 thousand tonnes in 2022, amid challenges from a large informal market and rising production costs. The sector's trajectory began to stabilize following the 2022 approval of the Organic Law for milk, which established a legal framework, set minimum support prices, and instituted a ten-year ban on powdered milk imports to protect domestic producers. These measures contributed to a modest recovery, with production edging up to 2 197 thousand tonnes in 2023.

In 2024, the industry focused on accessing new international markets, successfully concluding negotiations to export dairy products to China and Chile. Regulatory developments also advanced, including rules for workplace breastfeeding rooms and the promotion of specialized products like easier-to-digest A2 milk, alongside ongoing efforts to manage production costs and informal trade.

Production milk and cream in Ecuador

In kind, 2017-2020, K t

Top producers of milk and cream, 2017-2020

World map of production of milk and cream, 2017-2020

In 2019, Ecuador's milk and cream production reached its peak at 2 588 thousand tons. However, by 2020, production had declined to 2 398 thousand tons, representing a 7.3% decrease from the previous year. Looking at the broader period from 2017 to 2020, production actually grew by 18.8%, which translates to an average annual increase of 5.9%. The lowest production level was recorded in 2018 at 1 971 thousand tons. The most significant year-over-year growth occurred in 2019, with a substantial 31.3% increase.

Annual dynamics of production in Ecuador in kind, 2017-2020, K t

Exports milk and cream from Ecuador

Exports in kind, kg

The export data for milk and cream from Ecuador shows considerable volatility during this period. In 2018, exports hit their lowest point at just 1 kilogram, marking a 100.0% decline from the previous year. By 2019, exports surged dramatically, recording the largest increase at 3 330 900.0%. However, in 2020, exports dropped sharply to 30 kilograms, a 99.9% decrease compared to 2019. The overall fluctuation was extreme, with exports varying by 67 479 times from the high in 2017 to the low in 2018.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Ecuador in kind, 2017-2020, kg

From 2017 to 2020, Ecuador's milk and cream exports in kind were heavily concentrated on just two markets: Colombia and Venezuela. Together, these two countries accounted for 99.9% of all export flows during this period.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Ecuador in kind, 2017-2020

Exports in value, K $ US

Export values for milk and cream from Ecuador displayed significant volatility between 2017 and 2020. In 2018, export revenue reached its minimum at 0.0 thousand US dollars, representing a 100.0% decline. The following year, 2019, saw the largest increase at 101 573.3%. By 2020, exports had fallen to 0.1 thousand US dollars, down 99.6% from 2019. The gap between the peak in 2017 and the trough in 2018 was substantial, with a 5 199-fold difference.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Ecuador in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

During the 2017-2020 period, Ecuador's milk and cream exports in value terms were dominated by two key markets: Colombia and Venezuela. Together, these two countries accounted for 99.8% of the total export value.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Ecuador in value, 2017-2020

Imports milk and cream to Ecuador

Market analysis indicates that Ecuador did not import any milk or cream from 2017 through 2020.