Beni Mellal – Morocco, a significant global importer of dates, continues to maintain high import volumes for this product during the 2023/24 season.
However, the final figures for the current season may be slightly lower compared to the previous one, due to an increase in local production, as reported by EastFruit.
According to EastFruit, between October 2023 and March 2024, Morocco imported 103,000 tons of dates, which is nearly equivalent to the same period in the previous season and exceeds the average imports over the three seasons preceding the last one.
Despite this, there are two main factors that may prevent Morocco from surpassing the figures from the 2022/23 season.
First, local date production in Morocco increased by 7% in 2023, reaching an estimated 115,000 tons, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.
Second, the peak of date imports into the country typically coincides with Ramadan celebrations, with import volumes reaching their maximum just before and during the holy month. As the timing of Ramadan shifts each year, date import volumes adjust accordingly.
In the 2023/24 season, the peak of date imports has already occurred in February, indicating that the remaining months will likely see lower volumes compared to the previous season.
Morocco holds the position of the second-largest date importer globally, following India, with dates being the top fruit and vegetable import category in the country.
Approximately 90% of date imports come from four countries: the UAE, Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria, with the UAE leading in terms of supply.
Read also: Mejhoul: ‘The King of Dates’ Coveted By Moroccans During Ramadan
However, in the current season, Egypt may surpass the UAE in the Moroccan market, thanks to its active growth in total exports.
Egypt already set a record for date exports to Morocco in the 2022/23 season, which it exceeded by supplying 33,000 tons of dates to the Moroccan market from October 2023 to March 2024.
Morocco intends to significantly increase its date production to reach 300,000 tons by 2030.
To achieve this goal, a program contract was signed during the International Agricultural Show in Morocco (SIAM) last year. This initiative aims to rehabilitate traditional palm groves, expand plantations, improve productivity, develop storage and processing infrastructure, increase exports, and promote organic certification of oasis-sourced dates.
A total investment of MAD 7.47 billion is planned over a 10-year period to support this ambitious plan for developing the date sector in Morocco.
