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Rabat – Morocco’s cultivation of avocados has grown over the past few years, reaching approximately 12,000 tons per year, according to FreshPlaz, an agricultural news website.
Supply and Export Manager at the Arbor Group, Hicham El Airaj, was quoted by FreshPlaz saying, “At the moment, we are exporting about 20% of our national production.”
El Airaj continued, explaining that growth prospects for Moroccan avocados “would not be possible without the Green Morocco Plan, which supports and facilitates the growth of the country’s agricultural producers to reach 1,800 hectares of crops, with the consequent rise in exports.”
The Arbor Group currently exports to European Union (EU) countries, such as Spain, France, the United Kingdom and to the Middle East by air, according to El Airaj.
El Airaj went on to note that Morocco exports a total of 2,000 tons of avocados per year. About 8,000 tons of the Zutano, Bacon, Fuerte and Hass varieties are retained for Moroccan consumption.
“The reason why most of the production stays in the country is because the price is very good and the Hass variety is especially appreciated,” he continued. When it comes to the local versus the export price, however, especially in the northern part of the EU, “some neighboring countries such as Spain, which produces about 40,000 to 60,000 tons a year, come to Morocco to buy the goods in bulk and sell them in Spain under a Spanish brand.”
According to the same source, the demand from Morocco increases in the holy month of Ramadan. During this time, 35% of the country’s annual production is consumed.
