The coveted Moroccan raspberries for export

Moroccan raspberries do well for export. In just two years, Morocco has multiplied by 4.6 the volume of its exports of this fruit to the European Union. In value, its exports have multiplied by 2.7 during the year of 2022 to reach 60 million dollars, although impacted by the fall in prices on the world market. In any case, this is the observation made by the East-Fruit portal specializing in the analysis of data relating to fruit and vegetables. He stresses, moreover, that the current context presents an undeniable opportunity for the Kingdom to catch up with Ukraine, the third exporter of raspberries in Europe just following Serbia and Poland.

Another striking figure revealed by the portal in question. Moroccan exports of fresh raspberries and blackberries to the EU have been on an upward trend for 2 years. After increasing by 36% in 2021, they reached a significant volume of 56,200 tonnes in 2022.
In a statement to East-Fruit, the economist at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Investment Center, Andriy Yarmak, considered that Morocco is a “unique example that stands out”. ‘supply as a development model for the export of berries’ because the country knows how to take advantage of its climate to export products with high added value.

For the economist, the added value in the fruit and vegetable sector is dependent on the marketing of fresh and high quality products, and not on their processing because as a general rule, it is the cheapest products that are sent to the transformation. However, “with the expansion of the production of fresh raspberries and other berries for export mainly to EU countries, an opportunity has arisen for the development of freezing berries, which the Morocco seized. As a result, the two segments are developing and complementing each other in a dynamic and very harmonious way”, adds the UN expert.

Morocco diversifies its client portfolio

Faced with the large volume of raspberry production, estimated, according to the East-Fruit portal, at 37,000 tonnes during the 2020-2021 campaign, with a cultivated area of ​​9,650 hectares, the Kingdom is ensuring the diversification of its customers. . Indeed, the portal points out that if 90% of Moroccan exports of frozen raspberries have been destined for some time for the European market, in particular England, Germany, France and Spain, Morocco is increasingly opening up in addition to other markets including the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, South Africa, Croatia, Canada, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

The volume of Moroccan exports of raspberries and blackberries is also a great source of satisfaction for Moroccan producers. According to East Fruit, the latter earn 367 million dollars a year thanks to exports. “Revenues from fresh raspberry exports are 65 times greater than revenue from frozen berries or any other fruit.”