Exports from this strategic sector represent, according to updated figures, 7% of overall exports and 39% of agri-food exports, said Driou.ich, during a communication meeting with the Presidents of Federations and associations working in the sector of processing, valorization and marketing and trading of seafood products.
And note that Morocco has 518 product processing units consisting mainly of freezing, canning and semi-canning units and other valuable activities.
On this occasion, Driouich underlined the important role of the sector of processing, valorization and marketing of fishing products in the Moroccan industrial fabric and its preponderant place in food security and the promotion of employment thanks to performance recorded particularly in terms of investments made, as well as its significant share in national agri-food exports.
Thus, she recalled the efforts made over the last two decades which allowed the sector to be strengthened and organized thanks to the Halieutis strategy launched in 2009 by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, noting that Morocco was able to position itself on the scene international and regional as a leader in the field of the fishing industry with an investment of more than 930 million dirham (MDH) in 2023 and the creation of more than 126,000 direct jobs and this despite a difficult situation that the sector is going through due mainly to climate change.
In this context and in order to face the various difficult issues, the manager insisted on the importance of working to strengthen the achievements made through the strengthening of the public-private partnership and the adoption of new measures aimed at the modernization of infrastructure and take advantage of the potential of the blue economy.
And to note that aquaculture today constitutes an alternative for the preservation of fisheries resources and the supply of the processing industry while highlighting the importance of the involvement of fishmongers in regularity and quality of this supply.
Thus, she called for the consolidation of the sector’s place in terms of job creation, placed among the major government priorities.
For their part, the Presidents of the Federations and associations operating in the processing and valorization industry and marketing of fishing products and the operators present underlined their support for the initiatives likely to facilitate the implementation of all the guideliness strategies relating to the development of this sector and to address the various related issues.
