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Rabat – Morocco’s Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries announced on Friday that the volume of its exports has increased by 13% in the 2021-2022 season, noting that tomatoes and berries in particular have increased by 19% and 18%, respectively.
“Despite the difficult international circumstances, the exports of market garden crops have registered good performances during the 2021-2022 season,” a press release by the ministry said.
Exports of these products reached more than 1.6 million tonnes during the season, extending from 1 September 2021 to August 31 2022. This constitutes an increase of 13% compared to exports in the 2020-2021 season.
Tomato exports reached 670,000 tonnes, while the volume of exported berries stood at 125,400 tonnes.
Recent reports from Hortoinfo and the UN’s international trade statistics database Comtrade show that Morocco could soon overtake Spain in tomato exports and become the world’s third biggest exporter of the product.
In 2021, Spain exported 662,000 tonnes of tomatoes, a decrease from its past numbers, while Morocco has kept increasing its exports over the past 10 years.
The overall increase in Moroccan agricultural exports stands in contrast with lower agricultural output, due to the country suffering the effects of unprecedented droughts this year.
Morocco suffered from its worst drought in three decades this year, which has led to difficulties for farmers, as well as the rationing of drinking water in some regions of the country.
The ministry had previously said that it expected the added value of Morocco’s agriculture to fall by 14% by the end of this year.
