Morocco is expected to increase its citrus exports by 15 to 20% to British and European markets, or between 600 and 650 thousand tonnes of exports, according to the Moroccan Citrus Interprofessional Federation.
The Federation told Fresh Plaza portal that current citrus exports during the season are looking normal with just a slight delay in the rainy season.
Citrus plantations have currently stabilised at around 135 thousand hectares planted, with regular renewal of plantations.
The Moroccan citrus season started on 25th September with the clementine harvest, the first citrus fruit arrived in the UK on the first week of October, with the first arrivals in Europe the following week.
“The fact that UK is no longer inside our traditional European market, with whom we had a comprehensive important trade agreement, gives both the UK and Morocco a totally new environment full of opportunities,” El Mehdi El Alami, Director of Promotion and Development of Morocco Foodex told Fresh Plaza.
“These include a new range of Moroccan products specific to the needs of UK markets, direct commercial relationship between operators, new competitive situation towards continental producers and new lines of logistics. Our communication campaign builds on our longstanding relationship with the UK and aims to highlight these new opportunities.”
Other than the European Union and the UK, Morocco exports its citrus fruits to Russia, the Gulf countries, Canada, USA and Asia.
Morocco’s citrus exports in the last season totaled more than 537,000 tonnes, up 3%, compared to the previous season, according to a recent press release by the ministry of Agriculture.
Exports of fruits and vegetables carried out between September 1, 2020, and July 27, 2021, reached nearly 2 million tonnes against 1.88 MT during the previous campaign.
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