Morocco's avocado exports to Canada spark debate amid water crisis

Parliamentary representative Fatima Tamni, from the Federation of the Democratic Left, has submitted a written question to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests regarding the continued export of avocados to Canada amid Morocco’s ongoing water crisis.

In her correspondence dated July 5, 2025, El Tamni highlighted that Morocco is facing «recurrent droughts and a worrying decline in both groundwater and surface water levels», while the country continues to expand exports of a fruit known to be among the most water-intensive crops, requiring approximately 1,000 liters of water to produce just one kilogram of avocados.

She noted that during the 2024/2025 marketing season, Morocco exported a record volume of avocados to Canada, more than 1,180 tons, representing over 1.18 billion liters of water. Tamni described this as an «environmental and economic paradox», particularly given that Canada is among the world's most water-rich nations.

She called on the Minister of Agriculture to clarify what measures are being considered to limit the expansion of water-intensive crops, especially avocado cultivation, and to reassess their export trajectory in a way that aligns with Morocco’s environmental and water sustainability priorities.