ECUADOR - Ecuadorian exports of Particleboard/MDP (PB / MDP) reached USD 19.62 million in September 2021, a growth of 65.1 percent compared to the same month last year (USD 14.46 million).

The significant growth achieved in September brought PB/MDP exports in the first nine months of 2021 (9M-2021) to USD 143.91 million which is a new record for the period and represents a 70.0 percent growth compared to the same period of 2020 (9M-2020: USD 84.67 million). Likewise a significant growth of 53.6 percent compared to 9M-2019 (USD 93.64 million).

It is worth remembering that in 2020 Ecuadorian PB/MDP exports reached USD 128.9 million, which was a new annual record at the time.

Behind the outstanding performance is Ecuador's Novopan, which supplied 98.8 percent of the country's total exports in 9M-2021. In 9M-2021, Novopan del Ecuador's particleboard exports reached USD 142.20 million for a growth of 69.6 percent compared to 9M-2020 (USD 83.86 million).

The main foreign market for Ecuadorian chipboard was Colombia. In 9M-2021, Ecuadorian chipboard worth USD 78.95 million was shipped to the neighboring country, an improvement of 69.7 percent compared to the same period of the previous year (9M-2020: USD 46.52 million).

Peru was the second most important foreign market for the Ecuadorian agglomerate in 9M-2021. With purchases of USD 50.17 million and a strong increase of 71.5 percent compared to 9M-2020 (USD 29.24 million). Peru together with Colombia accounted for 89.7 percent of Ecuadorian exports of chipboard in 9M-2021.

While in Colombia there is local production of chipboard by Dexco Colombia and Primadera, in Peru domestic production is non-existent since the closure of Tableros Peruanos S.A. (Tapesa) in early 2017.