EU Imports of Moroccan Produce Surge: Tomatoes Lead 9% Growth in 2020

During the first 11 months of 2020, the EU bought 778,340 tons of vegetables from Morocco, an increase of 4% compared to 2019. 455,712 tons of tomatoes were purchased, an increase of more than 10% compared to 2019. As for green beans, 125,982 tons were purchased and 106,330 tons of peppers were exported. Thus, vegetable exports had already made a big leap in 2019, especially in the tomato sector, one of the most dynamic in horticulture in recent years, accounting for nearly 48% of the total stock with 514,000 tons exported.

The largest increase recorded between 2019 and 2020 is that of avocado. Exports of this fruit recorded 32,800 tons during the 2019 season, almost three times the 2018 volume, corresponding to +193%. The fruits that also recorded an increase are watermelon with +61%, berries +25% and green beans, 10%. Thus, in 2020, speaking of fruit, the EU imported 610,849 tons, an increase of 18% compared to 2019, with 233,177 tons of watermelon imported, 31,603 tons of raspberry, 28,816 tons of blueberry, 28,379 tons of avocado imported.

In 2019, the volume of fruit exported was 1.07 million tons, an increase of 6% compared to 2018, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture. In addition, the forecasts for December 2020 were conclusive, with an improvement in the Moroccan presence on the community market despite the health crisis and its repercussions on the global economy.

From 2010 to 2019, EU imports of Moroccan fruits and vegetables went from 856,919 tons to 1.4 million tons, an increase of 65%. The EU is the main commercial outlet for Morocco which at the same time represents one of the main exporters of agricultural and agri-food products in Africa, with a value of 58 billion dirhams in 2019.