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Despite adverse weather conditions and a decrease in exported volume, Morocco's berry exports saw a significant revenue increase in 2023. According to data from East Fruit, Moroccan berry producers exported approximately 124,000 tons, generating $750 million in revenue.
While the overall export volume in 2023 dropped by 6% compared to the previous year, total revenue has jumped 2.4-fold since 2018. This growth is attributed to rising berry prices, with frozen berries exceeding even greenhouse tomatoes as the second-highest earner in agricultural exports. Blackberries, in particular, witnessed a notable surge in exports, increasing by 40% in 2023.
«Berries have reaffirmed their role as a cornerstone of Morocco's agricultural exports», said Yevhen Kuzin, Fruit & Vegetable Market Analyst at EastFruit. «Only greenhouse tomatoes yielded more foreign earnings than frozen berries, with an additional $83 million coming from frozen strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. However, despite these gains, the year posed significant challenges for the sector».
One concern is the industry's heavy reliance on the European Union and UK markets, which faced economic difficulties in recent years. Additionally, the decrease in exported volume points to potential future challenges for Morocco's berry industry.
It's noteworthy that 90% of Morocco's berry exports in 2023 were destined for just five countries : Spain, the UK, Netherlands, Germany, and France. These countries accounted for 88% of Morocco's foreign currency earnings from berries.
However, each of these countries reduced their import volumes, with Germany's imports dropping by a third and France's by 20%. This reflects both decreased supply from Morocco and weakened demand due to the EU's economic difficulties, according to East Fruit.
On a positive note, East Fruit highlights growth in Morocco's berry exports to emerging markets in 2023. Exports to the UAE increased by 29% to 2,000 tons, direct shipments to Poland surged over fivefold to 1,200 tons, deliveries to Canada rose nearly 6.5 times to 65 tons, and Saudi Arabia more than doubled its import volumes.
