Moroccan Clothing Exports to EU Surge 33% in First Half, Reaching €1.5 Billion

Morocco remains one of the main exporters of clothing to the European Union (EU). Its exports increased by 33.4% in the first half of the year, on an annual basis, to reach 1.5 billion euros, according to the latest statistics published by the Euro-Mediterranean Circle of Textile-Clothing Leaders (Cedith). The kingdom was, at the end of June 2022, the eighth supplier of this market, with a share of 3.5%. It ranked eighth in the same period in 2021. Its average prices have also increased by around 14% year-on-year.

Overall, EU clothing imports increased by 37.3% to reach 43.54 billion euros in the first half of the year. Bangladesh becomes the leading exporter of clothing to the EU with rapid growth (10.36 billion euros in exports and a 23.8% share). It thus dethroned China (11.13 billion euros at the end of June (+33.7%), i.e. a market share of 25.6%. Turkey completes the top 3 with 5.57 billion euros in the first half (+32.5%) and a market share of 12.8%.

At the level of the Mediterranean rim countries (PPM), Morocco maintains its position as the second supplier to the EU, behind Turkey and ahead of Tunisia (1.12 billion euros at the end of June, up 23.5%). "More generally, it will be noted that the share of the PPM has increased from 18.3% in 2019 to 19.4% in the first half of 2022. The increase is admittedly slight, but tends to suggest that the European clothing market is seeking to source more and more from nearby suppliers, more responsive and flexible, but also with a lower carbon footprint," explains Jean-François Limantour.