Ecuador’s Top Imports 2025

Ecuador imported US$32.6 billion worth of goods from around the globe in 2025, growing by 26.9% compared to $25.7 billion in 2021.

From 2024 to 2025, total spending on Ecuadorean imports accelerated by 10.7% starting with $29.5 billion worth of imported products during 2024.

Ecuador’s official currency is US dollars.

Ecuadorean Major Product Suppliers

The latest available country-specific data shows that 81.8% of products imported from Ecuador was supplied by exporters in: United States of America (28.1% of the Ecuadorean total), mainland China (25.9%), Colombia (6%), Brazil (3.45%), Peru (3.4%), Argentina (2.8%), Spain (2.3%), Germany (2.2%), South Korea (2.1%), Mexico (1.92%), Canada (1.89%) and Japan (1.85%).

Applying a continental perspective, over a third (35.9%) of Ecuador’s total imports by value in 2025 were purchased from Asian countries. Another 31.9% worth of imported goods originated from North America, with 19.9% coming from suppliers in fellow Latin American nations excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.

Providers in Europe furnished 12% worth of total Ecuadorean imports.

Tinier percentages were bought from exporters in Oceania (0.19%) mostly Australia and New Zealand, and Africa (0.16%).

Given Ecuador’s population of 18.1 million people, its total US$32.6 billion in 2025 imports translates to roughly $1,800 in yearly product demand from every person in the northwestern South American nation. That dollar amount surpasses the average $1,650 per capita one year earlier in 2024.

Domestically, Ecuador’s inflation rate for consumer products was 1.337% for 2025 down from 1.547% during 2024.

The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Ecuador’s import purchases during 2025. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Ecuador.

1. Mineral fuels including oil: US$7 billion (21.6% of total imports)
2. Machinery including computers: $3.5 billion (10.8%)
3. Vehicles: $2.6 billion (8.1%)
4. Electrical machinery, equipment: $2.5 billion (7.6%)
5. Food industry waste, animal fodder: $1.4 billion (4.4%)
6. Plastics, plastic articles: $1.3 billion (4.1%)
7. Pharmaceuticals: $1.3 billion (4%)
8. Iron, steel: $926.1 million (2.8%)
9. Other chemical goods: $752.3 million (2.3%)
10. Cereals: $723.1 million (2.2%)

Ecuador’s top 10 imports cost more than two-thirds (67.9%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.

Ecuadorean purchases of iron and steel (up 31.8%) increased by the greatest percentage from 2024 to 2025.

In second place were imports of vehicles (up 25.5%).

Ecuador’s imports of cereals generated a 21.3% increase compared to 2024, ahead of the 15.9% advance for miscellaneous chemical goods.

The lone year-over-year decline among leading Ecuadorean imports was the -4.6% drop under the mineral fuels including oil product category.

Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level.

Information presented below is from the more granular 4-digit HTS codes perspective.

Drilling down on the detailed 4-digit HTS codes, Ecuador spent the most on imports of processed petroleum oils (12% of Ecuadorean imports), high-temperature distilled coal tar oils (6.7%), cars (3.2%), medication mixes in dosage (2.8%), solid residues including soya bean oilcake (2.6%), petroleum gases (2.5%), phone devices including smartphones (2.3%), wheat (1.9%), trucks (2%), then miscellaneous animal feed preparations (1.2%).

Ecuador’s Main Fuel Imports

In 2025, Ecuadorean importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.

1. Processed petroleum oils: US$3.9 billion (down -0.9% from 2024)
2. Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $2.2 billion (down -3.9%)
3. Petroleum gases: $808 million (up 3.9%)
4. Electrical energy: $83.3 million (down -75.1%)
5. Petroleum oil residues: $33.5 million (up 10.3%)
6. Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $14.9 million (up 5.4%)
7. Peat: $4.6 million (up 2.1%)
8. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $3.7 million (up 5.9%)
9. Natural bitumen, asphalt, shale: $1.1 million (up 2.3%)
10. Asphalt/petroleum bitumen mixes: $840,000 (up 145.6%)

Among these import subcategories, Ecuadorian purchases of asphalt or petroleum bitumen mixes (up 145.6%), petroleum oil residues (up 10.3%) then coal including solid fuels made from coal (up 5.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported mineral fuels-related products among Ecuadorean businesses and consumers.

Ecuador’s Main Machinery Imports

In 2025, Ecuadorean importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machines including computers.

1. Computers, optical readers: US$370.7 million (up 5.9% from 2024)
2. Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $296.3 million (up 76.3%)
3. Refrigerators, freezers: $215.9 million (down -5.3%)
4. Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $196.8 million (up 12.7%)
5. Liquid pumps and elevators: $182.2 million (up 18.3%)
6. Piston engine parts: $139.1 million (up 14.2%)
7. Miscellaneous machinery: $134.8 million (up 58.9%)
8. Printing machinery: $129.1 million (up 2.2%)
9. Taps, valves, similar appliances: $113.9 million (up 17.6%)
10. Transmission shafts, gears, clutches: $108.1 million (up 23.9%)

Among these import subcategories, Ecuadorian purchases of heavy machinery such as bulldozers, excavators and road rollers (up 76.3%), miscellaneous machinery (up 58.9%) then transmission shafts, gears and clutches (up 23.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among Ecuadorean businesses and consumers.

Ecuador’s Main Vehicles Imports

In 2025, Ecuadorean importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles.

1. Cars: US$1.1 billion (up 14.4% from 2024)
2. Trucks: $658 million (up 40.3%)
3. Automobile parts/accessories: $300.4 million (up 11.4%)
4. Motorcycles: $238.4 million (up 19.2%)
5. Tractors: $161 million (up 78.5%)
6. Public-transport vehicles: $95.4 million (up 122.3%)
7. Motorcycle parts/accessories: $35.8 million (up 13.5%)
8. Chassis fitted with engine: $34.6 million (up 28%)
9. Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $19.9 million (up 26.8%)
10. Special purpose vehicles: $17.4 million (up 36.2%)

Among these import subcategories, Ecuadorian purchases of public-transport vehicles (up 122.3%), tractors (up 78.5%) then trucks (up 40.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported vehicles among Ecuadorean businesses and consumers.

Ecuador’s Main Electrical Imports

In 2025, Ecuadorean importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronic equipment including consumer electronics.

1. Phone devices including smartphones: US$736.7 million (up 17.9% from 2024)
2. Electric generating sets, converters: $259.5 million (up 10.8%)
3. TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $175.5 million (up 2.3%)
4. Insulated wire/cable: $169 million (up 4.9%)
5. Electrical converters/power units: $131.4 million (up 8.8%)
6. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $123.8 million (up 11.6%)
7. Electric storage batteries: $77.3 million (up 4.5%)
8. Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $71.9 million (up 35%)
9. Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $66.7 million (up 7.3%)
10. Electric motors, generators: $57.6 million (down -14.1%)

Among these import subcategories, Ecuadorian purchases of electrical or optical circuit boards and panels (up 35%), phone devices including smartphones (up 17.9%) then lower-voltage switches or fuses (up 11.6%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among Ecuadorean businesses and consumers.
 

See also Ecuador’s Top Trading Partners, Ecuador’s Top 10 Exports, Colombia’s Top Trading Partners, Chile’s Top Trading Partners and Argentina’s Top Trading Partners

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook South America: Ecuador. Accessed on October 7, 2026

Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on October 7, 2026

International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on October 7, 2026

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on October 7, 2026

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on October 7, 2026

Wikipedia, Ecuador. Accessed on October 7, 2026

Wikipedia, List of Companies of Ecuador. Accessed on October 7, 2026