Rabat – Morocco’s citrus exports reached a record volume of 766,500 tonnes during the 2021-2022 agricultural season, an overall increase of 40% compared to the year before.
The Ministry of Agriculture said on Wednesday that the performance concerned all exported citrus products, including berries, whose export volume reached 629,300 tonnes during this season.
Orange exports in particular saw an increase of 42% this season compared to the previous year.
“This growth concerned all destinations, with particularly notable progress on the American market and the African market,” according to the ministry.
The national production of citrus fruits during the previous agricultural year reached 2.7 million tonnes, an increase of 14% compared to the year before.
Citrus production is centralized in four regions, including Rabat-Sale Kenitra, Souss-Massa, Oriental, and Beni Mellal-Khenifra.
The North African country exports its citrus fruits to several countries, including the US. Data from the US Agriculture Department (USDA) showed that in July Morocco’s exports to the US had reached a record of 110 metric tonnes in 2021-2022.
The number represents a 156% increase from last season.
The North African country also exported 166 metric tonnes of tangerines and mandarins to the EU during the 2021-2022 agriculture season.
Canada received 67.6 metric tonnes of tangerines and mandarins from Morocco, while Russia welcomed 173.081 metric tonnes in shipments of the same product from Morocco in the 2021-2022 agriculture season.
Sub-Saharan Africa received 41.500 metric tonnes in the same period, while the Middle East combined received a shipment of tangerines and mandarins estimated at 16.7 tonnes.
