Moroccan Avocado Exports Set to Reach New Record Amid Water Shortage Crisis

According to the Moroccan Horticulture Association, Moroccan avocado exports are close to reaching a new historical high in volume by the end of the current 2022/23 season, which goes from July to June. Moroccan exports have already reached a new record this year for the volumes of avocado exported between July and February. by reaching 35 thousand mt, 60% higher than what was registered during the same period last season. Therefore, Moroccan exporters will need to export only 7 thousand more metric tonnes to surpass the record of 42 thousand mt achieved in 2020.

Trade data on a calendar year measure also support high expectations for the 2022/23 campaign. According to ITC Trade Map trade data, for the H1-22 period, Moroccan avocado export volume was at 33 thousand mt, a yearly increase of 82% from H1-21. Calendar data also confirms that there will be a record-breaking year in export volume in the 2022/23 campaign for avocado exports. The calendar year 2020 has seen, until now, the most significant volume ever exported from Morocco at 36.2 thousand mt worth USD 107.7 million on exported value. Therefore the 33 thousand mt shipped in H1-22 data alone is just 3.2 thousand mt away. A number that will be easily met based on trends from past years.

Source: ITC

The constant increase in export volume has been mainly driven by the increasing demand for avocados in the European market. Moroco’s proximity to the EU and its climate conditions to produce year-round avocados have been the main reasons avocado exports have flourished over the past years. In terms of markets, European countries remain the leading destinations for Moroccan avocados, with Spain receiving almost 50% of exports, followed by France, the Netherlands, and Germany.

In terms of production, avocado production has consistently increased over the past five years, from 40 thousand mt in 2015 to an estimated 75 thousand mt in 2021. In addition, the avocado production area has expanded rapidly over the last decade. According to the Moroccan Avocado Association (MAVA), the acreage under avocadoes increased from 1.5 ha in 2010 to over 6.5 ha by 2020.

While exports of Moroccan avocados flourish rapidly, exporters and officials continue to voice concerns over the effect of the country’s ongoing water crisis on avocado crops. Morocco’s water resources took heavy hits over the past few years due to the impact of climate change and the severe drought in 2022, the country’s worst in three decades. As a result, in September 2022, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Ministry in charge of the budget decided to end irrigation subsidies for avocados, watermelon, and citrus fruits. The decision came after several Moroccan environmental associations demanded to end the cultivation of avocados to limit water use in the country.

Despite being a very profitable crop for exporters, the Moroccan avocado industry will soon have to make tough decisions on the challenges that confront exports. As Moroccan avocados are gaining an important market share in the European market, production in the country would need to be sustained by water subsidies which the government would need to allocate back.