Morocco remains 7th textile and clothing exporter to European Union

Morocco is maintaining its position in the textile market of the European Union (EU) in 2021, as the Kingdom ranked 7th supplier to the EU, with 2.47 billion euros, according to the latest statistics published by the Euro-Mediterranean Circle of textile and clothing leaders (Cedith).

After a significant decline of 25% in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, textile exports from Morocco to the European Union rebounded by 24.7% to reach 2.47 billion euros in 2021.

“Morocco’s clothing exports, although having made an important rebound from the pandemic, should not mask the fact that Moroccan exports in 2021 remain 160 million euros below their level in 2019,” said Jean-Francois Limantour, President of Cedith.

The Kingdom’s market share rises to 3.4%, after falling to 2.9% in 2020. In addition, its average prices increased by 1.6% in 2021, while those of all suppliers fell by 0.8%.

Like many other suppliers, Morocco was hit hard by the dismantling of the Multifiber Arrangement, which eliminated quotas and opened Europe’s doors to Asian exporters in 2005.

But the country was able to react, with strong support from the government, and began a recovery from 2013.

Nevertheless, it should be noted that its exports in 2021 are only 2.3% higher than their 2007 level, says Limantour.

Overall, the European Union’s imports of clothing increased by 5.6% in 2021 to 72.28 billion euros.

The EU has 206 suppliers of clothing, but imports are highly concentrated, as the top three suppliers alone, being China, Bangladesh, Turkey, control nearly two-thirds (62.9%) of EU textile and clothing imports, according to Cedith.

China accounts for 30.3% of EU imports, with 21.87 billion euros, as it remains the world’s largest exporter of clothing to the European Union, followed by Bangladesh (14.29 billion euros) and Turkey (9.22 billion).

Morocco is still positioned as the first African exporter of clothing to the EU market, ahead of Tunisia (1.83 billion euros), and by far Egypt (319 million euros).