Morocco Faces Green Tea Shortage as China’s Coronavirus Outbreak Disrupts Imports

According to the Moroccan Association of Tea and Coffee Industrialists (AMITC), Morocco buys more than 25% of China’s global tea exports. In 2019, the some 100 importers in the sector imported more than 62,000 tons for over 1.7 billion dirhams, reports Medias24.

Major disruptions are looming in this sector due to the Coronavirus epidemic, reports an operator. According to another source in the sector, the tea factories closed for the Chinese New Year holidays. The Chinese authorities had decided to extend the closure of these factories beyond the New Year holidays, as the virus began to spread in the country.

This situation is likely to continue, given the spread of the virus. "We have been in this situation since mid-January. Our suppliers say the factories are scheduled to reopen next week, but nothing is certain at the moment. We are navigating blindly," it was noted.

Faced with these disruptions, Morocco remains serene due to the tea reserves of its importers, which can generally cover at least one to 3 months. "It takes an average of two months between the time the goods are loaded into containers and the time they arrive at the warehouses," explains this source. If industrial activity resumes as planned in China in the coming days, it is very likely that no disruption will be felt in the domestic market.