Rabat – Morocco has seen a significant rise in blueberry exports to Southeast Asia in recent years. This growth comes despite challenges like drought conditions and a shift in global blueberry production.
According to data from East Fruit, a specialized agricultural trade portal, Morocco exported 1,500 tons of blueberries to Southeast Asia in 2023, a dramatic rise from just 450 tons in 2019. This trend has continued in 2024, with exports in the first four months already surpassing the total for 2019.
Experts attribute this growth to several factors. Traditionally the dominant importer, Hong Kong has seen a decline in blueberry purchases due to factors like lower harvests in Peru, the world’s leading blueberry exporter.
Additionally, China’s growing domestic blueberry production has led to a decrease in imports.
However, other Southeast Asian countries are taking up the slack. Malaysia and Singapore have seen a 50% increase in blueberry imports, while Thailand has more than doubled its intake since 2019.
This growth presents both opportunities and challenges for Morocco. China, the world’s largest blueberry producer, is also increasing exports to Southeast Asia.
China’s exports to the region were minimal in 2019, but this figure has risen to 680 tons in just five years. In April 2024, China even surpassed Morocco in monthly exports to Southeast Asia, shipping 410 tons compared to Morocco’s 390 tons.
