“Boleh La” – was the slogan of today’s unique B2B event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where 15 leading importers of fresh produce from Malaysia met selected suppliers from Morocco. Boleh La means “it can be done” and that was exactly the conclusion of today’s intense negotiations. Organized by FAO/EBRD Project jointly with Morocco FoodEx, this mission has already yielded a very important result. While preparing for the mission, the team has informed a wide audience of leading buyers about uniqueness of Morocco’s produce, which raised awareness. After the end of the day, the first deal to import Morocco’s products to Malaysia were signed.
“We were very interested in meeting suppliers from a new country because we do have a lot of products from China on the market and consumers and traders are always looking for alternative suppliers”, said one of the Malaysian buyers after the meeting. He was very optimistic about opportunities to import Nadrcot mandarins and fresh blueberries from Morocco.
Read also: From Blueberries to Mandarins: Morocco’s Historic Trade Mission Wins Singapore’s Market
“The level of interest for Morocco’s products in Malaysia was overwhelming and a bit unexpected although we did know that every year Malaysia increases imports of Mandarins by 24% and imports of blueberries by more than 42% thanks to the robust economic growth and healthy demographics. While price is a very important factor in Malaysia, Morocco offers mostly premium products, which aren’t necessarily cheap. Still, we saw a keen interest from buyers in trying Morocco’s produce. Even today blueberries from Morocco are found everywhere in Kuala Lumpur – even on the roadside stands and their quality is very high”, said Andriy Yarmak, FAO Economist and Export development project leader.
“For over 3 years, we have been primarily focusing on Nadorcott mandarins and blueberries. However, in my opinion, the potential of the Moroccan fruit industry in the Malaysian market is far from being fully realized. Our company has proudly imported high-quality Moroccan fruits, building strong and trusted relationships with local growers and suppliers. Morocco’s rich agricultural heritage and exceptional produce have allowed us to deliver fresh, flavorful fruits to our customers with consistency and excellence”, said Chloe Koay, Business Development Manager at Chop Tong Guan Sdn Bhd.
“As we look to the future, we are committed to fostering even deeper, long-term partnerships with Moroccan producers. We aim to explore new varieties of fruits such as avocado and dates expand our product offerings and support sustainable farming practices that benefit both our partners and consumers. Through collaboration and innovation, we will continue to grow together, bringing the finest Moroccan fruits to markets worldwide”, she added.
“Despite Morocco’s existing presence in Malaysia with blueberries and easy peelers, many local importers and traders were highly impressed by the opportunities that this North African country can offer in Southeast Asia. Morocco’s premium quality of produce, its varietal range, taste characteristics, and numerous packaging options are just a few of the factors contributing to this positive perception”, agreed Yevhen Kuzin, Horticulture Market Analyst at the FAO Investment Centre.
“The successful event in Singapore was followed by another successful event in Kuala Lumpur, as attested by both local importers and Moroccan exporters. We all hope this will further boost Morocco’s presence in Southeast Asia, allowing more Malaysian consumers to become acquainted with the quality and taste of Moroccan products. Many importers have expressed their interest in visiting Morocco during the upcoming mission to experience the quality of Moroccan products firsthand and to tour modern packing station”, said Idriss El Honsali of FoodEx Morocco.
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