Morocco stands as a global powerhouse in the production and exportation of fresh fruits, consistently securing a spot among the leading suppliers of a diverse array of fruits and berries. Despite this, the nation still depends on imports for certain fruits, a necessity dictated by its unique climatic conditions and domestic production capabilities. EastFruit invites to review the 2023 data and examine the fruit import segments that Morocco has notably expanded over the last year.
For the full calendar year of 2023, Morocco’s fresh fruit imports soared to an unprecedented 123,000 tons, continuing an upward trend that began in 2020. That year, the country’s demand for imported fruits plummeted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing restrictions. However, the increase in fruit imports was marginal compared to 2022, which saw imports totaling 121,000 tons.
A notable shift occurred in 2023 when bananas surged to the forefront of Morocco’s fruit imports, reaching a peak of 28,000 tons. Although Morocco cultivates approximately 350,000 tons of bananas annually, it still supplements its supply with imports from South American nations and Spanish and Portuguese Atlantic islands. These two European countries are, in fact, the predominant suppliers of fresh fruits to Morocco, consistently delivering 40% to 50% of the nation’s total fruit imports.
Pears, which had previously dominated the import rankings for five years, fell to second place. Their import volume plummeted by 42% to 28,000 tons in 2023, a significant drop from the five-year average. Morocco’s pear imports primarily come from Portugal and Spain, countries that experienced low production levels in 2022-2023 due to adverse weather conditions. This shortfall contributed to an overall scarcity of pears throughout the European Union.
Mangoes claimed the third spot in Morocco’s import hierarchy, with the country’s overseas purchases steadily increasing since at least 2017. The leading mango suppliers to Morocco hail from Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, including nations like Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Peru, and Brazil.
Avocados followed closely behind, with their imports witnessing a 74% surge to 13.6 thousand tons in 2023. It’s worth recalling that Morocco has been ramping up its avocado exports, even clinching the ninth spot in the global exporters’ ranking in 2022. To satisfy the burgeoning domestic demand and compensate for the off-season, Morocco has progressively increased its avocado imports, predominantly from Peru.
Pineapples rounded out the top five key fruit imports, with a record-breaking 11.5 thousand tons brought into Morocco in 2023, surpassing the 10 thousand ton mark for the first time. Notably, 98% of these pineapple imports originated from just three countries: Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana.
Kiwis and apples, ranked sixth and seventh, saw their imports decline to 10 thousand tons and 7 thousand tons, respectively, in 2023. Conversely, imports of persimmons, watermelons, and plums achieved record highs. Last year, Morocco imported 6.7 thousand tons of persimmons and 770 tons of plums, mainly from Spain, as well as 2.2 thousand tons of watermelons, primarily from Mauritania, with the intent of re-exporting them to the European Union market.
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