Egypt and Morocco have emerged as significant forces in the international frozen berry market, consistently ranking among the top five global exporters of frozen strawberries. These North African nations primarily serve the European Union market, yet they are progressively broadening their horizons and diversifying their export destinations. According to EastFruit, their reach extends to far-flung markets, spanning thousands of nautical miles from their freezing facilities.
Australia stands out as a notable market where Egyptian and Moroccan exporters not only hold their own against domestic producers but also rival suppliers from China and Chile. Over the period from 2019 to 2023, Morocco boosted its exports of frozen strawberries to Australia by 84%, reaching 850 tons, while Egypt’s exports surged more than threefold to 530 tons. Consequently, they secured the fourth and fifth spots, respectively, in Australia’s import rankings, trailing only China, Chile, and Belgium
Read also: Moroccan fruit and veg exports to Canada up for 4th year in a row, mandarins leading the way
Chile, despite its closer proximity to Australia, has seen a one-third reduction in market share over the past five years, dropping from 1.4 thousand tons to 920 tons. Nonetheless, it maintained its position as Australia’s second-largest source of frozen strawberries last year.
China continues to lead the pack, despite a 30% decrease in exports—from 2.9 thousand tons to 2 thousand tons. Still, 2023 was not a setback for Chinese exporters targeting the Australian market, as their export volume remained the highest since 2019.
Belgium made a remarkable leap to third place in 2023, showcasing the most dramatic export growth in recent years, despite being farther from Australia than either Egypt or Morocco. In 2021, Belgium shipped a trial batch of just 5 tons to Australia. By the following year, exports of Belgian frozen strawberries had escalated to 310 tons, and by 2023, they had tripled to 910 tons.
It’s worth noting that countries outside the top five suppliers managed to export a combined total of only 220 tons of frozen strawberries to Australia in 2023. Leading this group were Peru with 75 tons, the USA with 68 tons, Poland with 33 tons, France with 14 tons, and a few others.
While Australia may not be a global frontrunner in importing frozen strawberries, fluctuating within the top twenty importers annually, it consistently acquires 5-6 thousand tons each year. In 2023, Australia imported a total of 5.5 thousand tons, exporting a mere 33 tons. In contrast, the fresh strawberry market tells a different story: Australia exported 3 thousand tons of fresh strawberries last year, while importing only 22 tons. This positions Australia as a net importer of frozen strawberries but a net exporter of the fresh variety.
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