Moroccan Raspberries Experience Export Growth Despite Strong Competition

Published 2022년 4월 11일

Among the berry production in Morocco, fresh raspberry production and export are gaining momentum due to a favorable climate, foreign investment, and available workforce. The global export value of fresh raspberry for 2020 was USD 2.3B, of which Moroccan exports were USD 335.6M, accounting for about 15% of the total market share. From 2016 to 2020, the Moroccan production of fresh raspberry growth rate was 126.83% and is expected to increase further. Farmers in Morocco are expanding the area under berries from 3,200 ha in 2011 to almost 9,000 ha in 2020, increasing 281.25%. More than half of the planted area is for strawberries, while the 2,000 ha is for raspberries. Competitors such as Portugal and Spain face increased production costs and adverse weather conditions.

Morocco is gaining potential as a significant player in the red fruit trade market, reaching 15% of the total market share with USD 335.6M export value in MY 2020. Although the total amount of raspberries exported in MY 2020 decreased by 4.54% YoY to 34,430 mt, it didn't affect the overall export growth value from 2016-2020 which increased by 126.83%. According to FruiTrop, one of the main factors contributing to the growth was the expansion of the planted area of raspberries. The raspberry planting area increased from 300 ha in 2011 to 2,000 ha in CY 2020. Furthermore, favorable weather also contributed to raspberry production growth. Large companies in Europe invested in Moroccan raspberries as well. The Moroccan government has also contributed to the expansion of raspberry plantations with incentives for production and investments in modern technologies.

The raspberry harvest season in Morocco starts from October until May, and the peak period is from November to February. Moroccan raspberry harvest season somewhat coincides with the raspberry season in Spain and Portugal, the main suppliers of raspberries. Moroccan raspberries have two main advantages over their competitors. First, winters in Morocco are usually warmer, with fewer weather anomalies than in Spain and Portugal. For CY 2021/22, weather conditions on the Iberian Peninsula (including Spain and Portugal) consisted of frost and heavy rain, which significantly affected the yield and quality of fresh raspberries. According to Rafael Dominguez, manager at Freshuelva (association of producers and exporters of Huelva), the production area for raspberries decreased by 8.10% YoY, from 2,070 ha to 1,902 ha. Second, the labor costs in Morocco are generally lower than in Spain and Portugal. Due to COVID-19, there was a labor shortage and labor cost increase in Europe, affecting production and production costs in Spain and Portugal.

Morocco was the 4th largest supplier of raspberries in 2020, with a total export value of USD 335.6M. The top countries for Morocco's export were Spain and Netherland. In MY2020, Spain imported almost 30,000 mt of fresh raspberries from Morocco, with a total value of USD 188.64M (80% of total imports). The country has focused on producing fresh raspberries, which are more profitable than frozen or processed raspberries. The proximity of the EU and the seasonality of the harvest will play a significant role in increasing further exports to Europe in the coming years.