Rabat – Moroccan citrus exports to the United States are expected to decrease this year amid a cut in production due to record heat waves and the lack of precipitation.
The hot weather and drought, recorded earlier this year, coincided with the time in which the crops flower and is expected to bring the local production down, according to the US-based importer of citrus, grapes, and avocados LGS Speciality Sales.
Founder and President of LGS Speciality Sales Luke Sears said on Monday that “Morocco’s citrus crop is down from last year’s bumper crop anywhere between 20 percent and 50 percent, depending on the region and variety.”
Sears also indicated that “other factors” are likely to impact Moroccan citrus exports to the US including “the war in Russia as well as the struggling economy in the EU and the UK, two big export markets for Moroccan citrus.”
Read Also: Morocco’s Citrus Exports Reach 766,500 Tonnes in 2021-2022 Season
However, the executive expects “a great season ahead,” as his company plans to promote citrus on a regular basis and keep consumer interest at pre-COVID levels.
Moroccan fresh citrus exports to the US amounted to 110,500 metric tonnes in 2021-2022, up by 156% from the previous season. The US is the fourth largest importer of Moroccan oranges, tangerines, and mandarins.
Around 20 years ago, LGS Speciality Sales entered the Moroccan market. Since then, Morocco became the company’s “number one citrus source between November and May,” replacing Spanish products which used to be the company’s prime citrus source during the winter-spring period.
Sears explained that “duty issues faced by Spanish citrus” and the longer season of Moroccan citrus varieties have pushed the company to choose Morocco over Spain.
Today, 100% of LGS Speciality Sales’ imported citrus from November to May comes from Morocco, including Nour and Fina varieties.
W-Murcott, another key variety produced in Morocco, is “quickly becoming the most popular easy peeler variety in the world,” according to Sears.
