Rabat – Morocco has emerged as a dominant force in the global fruit and vegetable market, particularly with its historic exports to Germany in the early months of 2024.
According to a report from EastFruit, the North African country’s direct shipments of fresh and frozen produce to Germany have skyrocketed to unprecedented levels, shaking up the industry dynamics.
From January to March 2024, Morocco dispatched nearly 35,000 tons of fresh and frozen vegetables, fruits, and berries directly to Germany.
This marks a remarkable 40% increase compared to the same period last year, effectively doubling the average volume recorded over the past five years.
Of particular significance is the surge in greenhouse tomatoes, sweet peppers, frozen raspberries, fresh blueberries, and other products.
The direct supply of greenhouse tomatoes alone nearly doubled, reaching a staggering 13,000 tons, while sweet pepper exports grew by a third to 8,000 tons.
The increase comes at a critical time for the European greenhouse sector, which has been grappling with soaring energy costs, thus enhancing the competitiveness of southern suppliers like Morocco and Turkiye.
The surge in frozen raspberry exports from Morocco to Germany during the specified period is equally impressive.
Figures for January through March 2024 hit 1.7 thousand tons, marking over four times the amount from the previous year.
The surge comes amidst a significant shortage of frozen raspberry stocks in the market, leading to a sharp increase in prices, further highlighting Morocco’s pivotal role in meeting demand.
Despite consistent supply levels of Moroccan fresh raspberries to the German market, fresh blueberry exports witnessed substantial growth, reaching 1.2 thousand tons.
In addition, sales of fresh strawberries saw a twofold increase to 560 tons, further solidifying Morocco’s position as a major player in the fresh produce arena.
It’s important to note that Morocco’s actual impact on the German fruit and vegetable market may be even more significant than reported, as a considerable portion of Moroccan exports are re-exported through neighboring countries like Spain or France, often appearing in statistics as Spanish or French exports.
Read Also: Morocco’s Fresh Vegetable Druge to Nearly $1.6 Billion Despite Volume Drop
