Moroccan blueberry exports to Saudi Arabia saw a significant increase in 2023, making Morocco the leading supplier to the country, according to data analytics platform “EastFruit.”
In the 2022/23 season, Morocco exported 480 tons of fresh blueberries to Saudi Arabia, compared to less than 200 tons the previous year.
Moroccan farmers began supplying blueberries to KSA only three seasons ago and have since been able to virtually double or triple their sales volumes each successive year.
Over the last two seasons, deliveries from Morocco to Saudi Arabia increased sevenfold, bringing in almost $3 million in export revenue for the current season.
Saudi Arabia is the 38th largest importer of blueberries in the world (2022) and its imports from abroad have nearly tripled over the past four years. Previously, the main exporters of blueberries to Saudi Arabia had been South Africa, Peru, the USA, and Mexico. However, Moroccan blueberries now account for 43% of exports to Saudi Arabia, and during peak months (from January to May), this figure exceeds 80%.
Morocco ranks seventh among the largest global suppliers of fresh berries and fourth in exports of cultivated blueberries (according to 2022 statistics). In the 2022-23 season, Moroccan berries reached 37 foreign markets. Blueberries accounted for the fourth largest export revenue for Morocco last year; however, during the first six months of 2023, they rose to second place, behind only tomatoes.