ECUADOR - Ecuadorian exports of Particleboard / MDP reached USD 13.7 million in January 2023, a fall of 29.3% compared to the same month of the previous year (USD 19.3 million).

The sharp fall is mainly explained by the 40% drop in shipments to Colombia, the main foreign market for Ecuadorian particleboard. These fell from USD 12.45 million in January 2022 to USD 7.47 in January 2023.

Peru was the second most important foreign market for the Ecuadorian agglomerate in January 2023. With purchases of USD 5.45 million and an increase of 5.1 percent compared to January 2022 (USD 5.18 million). Peru together with Colombia accounted for 94.3% of Ecuadorian exports of chipboard in the month (2022: 91.0%). They were followed by the USA (USD 382 thousand) and Panama (USD 140 thousand).

Novopan de Ecuador, the main exporting company, exports fell from USD 19.29 million in January 2022 to USD 13.56 million in January 2023.