The demand for Moroccan strawberries grew significantly by the end of 2023, particularly during the festive period, said Larache-based strawberry grower Oussama Baioua to “Freshplaza,” which was reported on East Fruit on Saturday.
“Demand was high during the fourth week of harvest, and we expect to ship respectable numbers in early January,” he said.
The United Kingdom and France are the major importers of the Moroccan fruit. “The market is very dynamic and busy at the moment, and our customers are satisfied with the quality of our strawberries,” added Oussama.
The farmer expects both the harvest yields and the demand to peak in February, after which prices will fall as large quantities are brought to market. There are several varieties available, with the most common being “San Andreas,” “Fortuna,” and “Victory.”
The Larache/Moulay Bousselham axis, located on Morocco’s Atlantic coast in the north, is considered the country’s red fruit producing hotspot. However, following prior unsuccessful strawberry campaigns, producers in this region have opted to produce fewer strawberries this year in favor of other crops such as blueberries.
Oussama went on to remark, “Over the whole region, I estimate that strawberry acreage has decreased by almost 1000 hectares, approximately.”
The ongoing drought in Morocco is beginning to threaten Larache, which is located in the Loukkos area and contains vast subterranean water supplies. Oussama added, “We’re less affected by water scarcity than the rest of the country, but the ongoing drought and lack of rainfall are causing us concern.”
Oussama concluded, “Growers that rely on dam supplies are already affected, despite the fact that water prices have not risen. Those who have wells on their farms continue to operate normally. If the rain does not come, producing in these conditions will be a challenge.”