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The Whole World is Sweet on Ecuador
It is not just my opinion, as a happy expat and stalwart supporter of all things Ecuador. It is making global news, even as far afield as the Bloomberg media empire. The world has gone sweet on Ecuador, at least…Ecuadorean chocolate.
In 2013, Ecuador surpassed Brazil as the leading producer of cacao in Latin America. Dubbed the “Rey Latino de Chocolate” (The Latin King of Chocolate), Ecuador’s treasured cacao is now even more accessible to global markets, as already ample production of the cacao export has been further ramped up. This after $30 million USD were targeted in the year 2012 for a campaign to improve the quality of the harvesting of cacao. This is another example of Ecuador implementing policy and showing immediate positive results.
How positive? Bloomberg projections show that by 2015 Ecuador will be the fourth largest producer of cacao worldwide. If the global export trends hold, cacao will surpass the equally renown exportation of high grade roses by the same year. All this leads to serious revenue. Figures from the period between January and November of 2013 show revenue inflows of $467.9 million USD, according to the Central Bank of Ecuador. This ranks cacao exports as the sixth most important export, of a non-petroleum product, with a 4.8% market share of all Ecuadorean exports.
While cacao can be grown just about anywhere in Ecuador, due to this land’s fertile soils, the primary Provinces where it grows best are: Esmeraldas, Manabí, Los Rios, Guayas, El Oro, Pichincha, Napo and Sucumbios. Much attention has been drawn to these regions, as the quality of Ecuadorean chocolate is increasingly recognized the world over, especially by die hard “chocolate aficionados”. It represents an exciting and upwardly mobile investment market, as well as a unique business opportunity for those expats not quite ready to retire. As a friend of mine likes to say, “Two things in this world I can be be pretty sure of will continue to show demand over time…fine wine and fine chocolate.” Actually, truth be told, my friend actually says that there are “Three things”, but we are going to keep this a “G-rated” newsletter. Point is…hard to argue with my friend’s logic about fine chocolate.
Following the spirit of these sage words, Ecuador is planning on producing 250,000 metric tons of cacao by 2015. Quietly, Ecuador will surprise the world, with yet another unimaginable treat, assaulting the senses. One thinks of Belgium, Switzerland and other exotic locales, not Ecuador, when contemplating the world’s best chocolate. However, as reported here in the pages of EscapeArtist Ecuador, in an earlier article, Ecuador chocolate was rated #1 in the world in 2013. If this hidden chocolate gem entices and surprises, what other secrets does Ecuador hold, waiting to unfold before the eyes of an unsuspecting global populace?
My response to the previous rhetorical question is “plenty”. Ecuador is the newly knighted “land of opportunity”. Splendid wonders and exceptional opportunities seemingly appear around every bend. Covering one small sliver of that, EscapeArtist Ecuador and Zen Global are co-hosting a “Real Estate Investment Workshop”, later this year – watch for details. It promises to reveal some of the unexpected surprises, both good and bad, that Ecuadorean coastal real estate has to offer. If interested in exploring the unique real estate opportunities in Ecuador, in a completely different, personalized, hands-on approach, please contact me, directly, using the form below. Not only will you have a dynamic, interactive and informative front row seat to one of the most exciting real estate markets in the world, but if nothing else, make it an excuse to sample some of the world’s finest chocolate. How can you go wrong?
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