QUITO, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Ecuador's main export industry group warned Wednesday that new U.S. tariffs will significantly affect the country's exports of agricultural goods, notably banana, shrimp and cocoa.

The Trump administration's plan to impose a 10 percent tariff on imports from over 180 countries starting April 5 threatens Ecuador's key exports, which currently enter the United States tariff-free, said the Ecuadorian Federation of Exporters (Fedexpor).

The group said the impact is compounded by Ecuador's lack of a trade agreement with the United States, which is a gap that leaves Ecuador at a competitive disadvantage compared to regional exporters with preferential access.

"The absence of a trade deal with the U.S. puts Ecuadorian exports in a weaker position under this new tariff regime," it said in a statement.

Fedexpor and the Ecuadorian-American Chamber of Commerce said they have opened diplomatic and technical discussions with U.S. trade officials to explore options to limit the damage.

The United States is Ecuador's top trading partner and the leading destination for its non-oil exports. Fedexpor estimates that the lack of a trade agreement has already cost the country up to 300 million U.S. dollars in potential exports. Enditem

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