Morocco has boosted its produce exports by 8% this year, adding nearly 600 Mln dollars annually, making it one of the top global performers, East Fruit reported on Thursday.
Despite facing severe water shortages due to climate change, Morocco has maintained strong fruit and vegetable export growth, ranking fourth worldwide, just behind Canada.
Egypt has also seen impressive growth. With a 12% rise, it is leading the world in its fruit and vegetable export increases, having surpassed Peru.
Though Egypt and Morocco are both in North Africa, they differ significantly in their product focus, marketing, and logistics, making them unique market drivers rather than competitors.
Over the past five years, most fresh produce import growth has been in Asia, driven by demographics and economic factors.
The 2024 Asia Fruit Congress to be held in Hong Kong next month will highlight new sourcing opportunities from Egypt and Morocco.
Egypt, the largest exporter of dates and the second-largest of oranges to ASEAN, aims to expand its offerings.
Morocco, which is already supplying significant volumes of fresh blueberries, is also looking to widen its export range in Asia.
In Southeast Asia, Morocco has tripled its berry export, mainly blueberries, over the past four years, jumping from 450 tons in 2019 to 1,500 tons in 2023.
The ASEAN region is now one of the fastest-growing markets for fresh berry imports, with Morocco ranking among the top five suppliers.
In 2023, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia imported about 96% of Morocco’s blueberries destined for Southeast Asia.
Moroccan blueberry exports to Southeast Asia broke records last year, doubling to 1,400 tons compared to 2022.
Exports generally occur from February to May, during winter and early spring.
The session at the Asia Fruit Congress, to be held on September 6, 2024, will provide insights into these opportunities, helping to improve trade negotiations and partnerships. FAO Economist Andriy Yarmak is expected to discuss how Egypt and Morocco offer unique opportunities often overlooked by Asian buyers.