Exports of and berries from Morocco are slightly increasing this season compared to the 2022/23 season. According to data released by the AMPFR (Association Marocaine des Producteurs des Fruits Rouges), red fruit exports have indeed risen from 83,918 tonnes to 85,301 tonnes from the beginning of the season until March 31, with an increase of 2%.
Raspberries down
Raspberries represent the most exported product in the category, although the share has dropped from 51% to 45% in the last 12 months. In the 2023/24 season, 38,544 tonnes of fresh raspberries were exported, down 9% from the previous period. The most important regions are Souss-Massa (+17% compared to last year) and Rabat-Sale-Kenitra (-5%), which together account for 87% of fresh raspberry exports.
Blueberries keep growing
Blueberries, which already surpassed strawberries for exports from Morocco in the 2022/23 season, further increased in 2023/2024, going from 22,256 tonnes to 27,503 tonnes, representing a 24% annual increase. The increase occurred almost exclusively in the Souss-Massa region, which accounts for 48% of blueberry exports from Morocco: the quantities destined for foreign markets from this area increased by 55%. Blueberry exports are also concentrated in the areas of Souss-Massa and Rabat-Sale-Kenitra, which together represent 93% of the volumes.
Strawberries are struggling
Moroccan strawberries are losing ground in terms of fresh product exports, both in absolute terms and in the red fruit basket. Overall, strawberry exports amount to 18,037 tonnes, down 3% in the last 12 months; also, the share of strawberries in the total red fruit exports decreased from 22% in the 2022/23 season to 21% in the current season. Strawberry production is concentrated in two regions: Souss-Massa, which accounts for 52% of the quantities (+6% compared to last year), and Tangier-Tetouan-Hoceima with 42% of the volumes (down 14% from the previous season).
Processed stable
Exports of processed products are stable (+1%) and account for 18% of the total category and are exclusively focused on strawberries and raspberries, while only 1% of blueberries are processed for export. Processed strawberries make up 38% of the total strawberries, while for raspberries, the processed share is 14% of exports.
Image by Annette Meyer from Pixabay
