ECUADOR - Ecuadorian Particleboard / MDP exports exceeded USD 15 million in March 2021, a growth of 111.1 percent compared to the same month of the previous year.

The remarkable growth in March brought exports in the first quarter of 2021 (1Q-2021) to USD 42.4 million, which constitutes a new quarterly record.

It is worth remembering that in 2020 Ecuadorian Particleboard exports reached the figure of USD 128.9 million, which constituted a new annual record.

Behind the outstanding performance is Novopan del Ecuador, which supplied 99.1 percent of the total exported by the country in the quarter. In 1Q-2021, Novopan's Particleboard exports reached USD 42.06 million for a growth of 43.8 percent compared to 1Q-2019 (USD 29.26 million).

The main external market for Ecuadorian Particleboard was Colombia. In 1Q-2021, Ecuadorian Particleboard for USD 22.07 million was shipped to the neighboring country, an improvement of 30.9 percent compared to the same period of the previous year (1Q-2020: USD 16.86 million).

Peru was the second most important foreign market for Ecuadorian Particleboard in 1Q-2021. With purchases for USD 16.18 million and a strong increase of 57.1 percent compared to 1Q-2020 (USD 10.30 million). Peru added to Colombia represented 90.1 percent of Ecuadorian Particleboard exports in 1Q-2021.

While in Colombia there is local production of Particleboard by Duratex Colombia and Primadera, in Peru national production has been non-existent since the closure of Tableros Peruanos S.A. (Tapesa) in early 2017.