Since the first plantations in the Loukkos agricultural area in the mid-1980s, before expanding to Gharb twenty years later, the Moroccan avocado has enjoyed a success story which continues today. In less than ten years, the Kingdom has become a major player in the sector, positioning itself among the top ten global exporters in competition with countries such as Spain, Israel, Colombia, Guatemala and Chile.
Over the past two years, national production has grown exponentially, going from 40,000 tonnes in 2022 to 60,000 tonnes in 2023. For 2024, production of 90,000 tonnes is planned. This significant increase is accompanied by an equally remarkable increase in exports, with more than 30,000 tonnes shipped in just six weeks, a record never before reached in such a short period.
Building on these successes, Moroccan avocado exporters aim to conquer new markets, beyond the European Union and Russia, indicates Eco Inspirations. Moroccan operators are now targeting destinations such as the Gulf countries, Egypt, Scandinavian countries, as well as the United States and China.
The figures are promising for the campaign which runs from September to March. Until 2018, nearly 80% of Moroccan avocado production was exported to Spain, which then redistributed them to other countries. “From 2021, thanks to better organization of the sector, Moroccan avocados are now sent directly to the end markets, without going through Spain,” we can read. However, Spain remains the leading importer of Moroccan avocados, followed by France, the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Russia, Switzerland, Belgium, Portugal and some Middle Eastern countries are also among the buyers of Moroccan avocados. On the African continent, Morocco ranks third as an exporter after Kenya and South Africa. In 2023, Africa sold more than 319,000 tonnes of avocados on the international market. Furthermore, the cultivation of the avocado tree generated 2.5 million hours of work, thus stimulating the local economy and bringing 100 million euros in foreign currency to Morocco.
To counter the negative image associating avocado with a crop that consumes a lot of water, professionals are increasing awareness campaigns. The water needs of the avocado tree are estimated between 3,000 and 5,000 m³ per hectare, or 4 to 5 million liters per year. Other crops have similar or higher water requirements, notably red fruits, citrus fruits and date palms, which consume 12,000, 9,000 and 20,000 m³ of water per hectare respectively.
Par Lamia Elouali
12/25/2024 at 9:17 p.m.
