Government Regulations & Policies
MOROCCO NOW EXPORTS MORE THAN JUST STRAWBERRIES TO SPAIN.
Morocco achieved a new record for strawberry exports in 2022, exporting 22,400 tons of strawberries, marking a 17% increase from the previous year. While the share of Moroccan strawberries exported to Spain has dropped significantly, the share of buyers from the Middle East has increased from less than 0.5% to 8%. This diversification in supply is seen as a positive development for Morocco’s fruit and vegetable exports.
According to EastFruit, Morocco achieved a new record for strawberry exports in 2022 and continues to diversify its supply. Although strawberries are not exported as much as frozen raspberries or blueberries, they remain a significant contributor to Morocco’s fruit and vegetable exports, generating annual revenues of €37 to 65 million. In 2022, the country exported 22,400 tons of strawberries, marking a 17% increase from the previous year and almost 1,000 tons more than the previous record in 2019.
Since 2017, Morocco has increased its annual strawberry exports by an average of 3%, while blueberry exports have grown by 28% annually during the same period. EastFruit advises exporters to pay attention to two trends in the development of strawberry exports from Morocco. Firstly, the share of Moroccan strawberries exported to Spain has dropped significantly from over 75% in 2017 to just over 20% in 2022. Secondly, the share of buyers from the Middle East has increased from less than 0.5% to 8%.
Originally, Moroccan strawberry production was intended to supply Spain, as Spain is one of the main investors in Morocco’s fruit and vegetable sector. However, this led to Spanish exporters extending their export season and Moroccan exporters trading through Spain losing out on potential revenues from direct exports. It is worth noting that Ukraine also faced a similar situation in 2022, as more than half of its blueberry exports went through Poland, resulting in a loss of significant export income.