(Ecofin Agency) – In Africa, Morocco represents the 3th player in the citrus market behind South Africa and Egypt. The improvement in production during the 2024/2025 campaign should also boost the performance of the Moroccan sector in the export segment.
Morocco could place 597,000 tonnes of citrus fruits on the international market in 2024/2025, i.e. a stock up 31% compared to the volume shipped during the previous marketing year. This is what the latest estimates made by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reveal in a report on the Moroccan citrus market, published last Tuesday, December 24.
In detail, the tangerine category should come first in exports with a share of 83%, or 500,000 tonnes, followed by oranges (15%) and lemons. This optimistic forecast is based in particular on a prospect of growth of 16% in local citrus production from one year to the next to more than 2.1 million tonnes, which makes it possible to improve the volume of exports.
“Morocco’s citrus production for the 2024/2025 campaign saw a significant improvement compared to the previous season, thanks to favorable weather conditions during the growing period and increased adoption of advanced irrigation techniques and water management »underlines the USDA. Furthermore, the expected increase in Moroccan exports for 2024/2025 is also attributed to the strengthening of trade relations with importing countries in West Africa.
In its report, the USDA recalls that the Moroccan government signed a memorandum of understanding on December 11 with the shipping company Atlas Marine to establish a new commercial maritime line between Agadir and Dakar. This initiative aims in particular to facilitate trade between Morocco and the countries of the West African sub-region while reducing transport costs and increasing the efficiency of the transport of goods and trucks.
“According to the citrus industry, this new maritime connection is expected to facilitate and increase citrus exports to West African countries”we can read in the report. It should be noted that the main destinations for Moroccan citrus fruits are the European Union (EU) countries, Russia, the USA, Canada and sub-Saharan African countries.
In Morocco, citrus fruits constitute one of the main sources of export revenue for the fruit industry along with red fruits. According to data compiled on the Trade Map platform, exports of this fruit category generated more than $456.5 million for the Shereef kingdom in 2023.
Stéphanas Assocle
Edited by Wilfried ASSOGBA
Also read:
22/11/2024 – North Africa: mixed outlook for citrus production in 2024/2025
