Producers looking to expand apple exports to the Andean nation and open the door to other products
A group of French fruit and vegetable growers including representatives from Blue Whale and Mesfruits travelled to Quito recently to meet with Ecuadorean importers in a bid to increase apple exports and find markets for other fruits, El Universo reports.
Apples are France’s flagship product, accounting for 60 per cent of its total fruit production. Each year, the country produces an average of 1.4mn tonnes of apples, of which around 350,000 tonnes are exported. At present, Ecuador receives a small proportion of this, although shipments to this market are growing rapidly. In 2025, 4,000 tonnes of French apples were sent to Ecuador, an increase of 35 per cent on the previous year, according to Interfel.
“For us, Ecuador is not just a market, it’s a strategic partner. The two countries are complementary partners in offering quality products to consumers worldwide,” said Daniel Soarez, international director of Interfel, told the newspaper.
According to Soarez, France is currently the third largest supplier of apples to Ecuador, after Chile and China.
Like other South American markets, consumers in Ecuador typically prefer smaller sized apples, presenting an opportunity for exporters.
Andrea Himbert of Mesfruits told the newspaper: “Every year we have a larger harvest and a lot of smaller-sized fruit, and the countries for these products are in South America. We started with Colombia and Brazil, and now the idea is to also begin working with Ecuador”.
French apples complement Ecuador’s local production and enjoy a lucrative window in the market after Chilean supply has wound down. Thanks to the free trade agreement between the European Union and Ecuador, fruit can enter the market with a 0 per cent tariff.
The positive reception of French apples is encouraging producers to explore introducing other fruits such as pears, plums, and kiwifruit, according to Soares, who added that exporters are already working on securing the necessary phytosanitary certifications.
