Bigger and more numerous: Moroccan avocados set their sights on Europe

The avocado harvest is expected to be better than the previous one in the Larache region. The weather conditions observed so far raise hopes of a significant increase in yields, as well as a larger proportion of bigger fruit.

The first green-skinned varieties could be harvested between mid-September and the end of the month, a producer interviewed by HortiDaily explains.

“We expect avocado yields to be significantly higher than those of last season,” the producer says. However, this forecast remains conditional on favorable weather conditions continuing over the coming weeks.

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The size of the fruit is another reason for optimism. The previous campaign was marked by a lower proportion of large sizes, which are generally sought after by certain European buyers. This year, their share is expected to increase.

Morocco had already recorded a sharp increase in its avocado exports to Europe during previous campaigns, particularly to Spain, France, the Netherlands and Germany.

New stations for sorting avocados

The Larache region is simultaneously strengthening its packing capacity. Several new stations have recently opened to support the increase in production.

These facilities are equipped with modern lines designed to improve avocado sorting, grading by size and packaging quality. This is an important step for fruit that must withstand transport to foreign markets while meeting importers’ requirements.

After a campaign considered difficult, local operators therefore hope to make a strong comeback on the European market. They are counting on larger volumes, bigger fruit and more efficient packing equipment to strengthen the competitiveness of Moroccan origin.

The sector is also looking beyond Europe. Canada is among the recently opened markets in which Moroccan exporters now wish to make further progress.

The momentum observed in Larache does not concern avocados alone. The areas devoted to raspberries are increasing after the strong demand recorded during the previous campaign. Blueberry plantings have been completed, and an increase in their production is also expected.

Strawberries are moving in the opposite direction. Their production has been declining for several years in the region, with some farmers preferring to devote their land to avocados, raspberries or blueberries.

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With the first harvests only a few weeks away, Larache’s producers are therefore preparing for an export-oriented campaign. If the forecasts are confirmed, more Moroccan avocados—and, above all, more large-sized fruit—should reach European market stalls in the coming months.