In Morocco, red fruits are cultivated primarily within three regions: the northwest, specifically the Rabat - Kenitra area, the northern Tangier Tetouan - Al Hoceima, and Souss - Massa in the south. Mohamed Amouri, president of the Moroccan Interprofessional Federation of Red Fruits, shared insights at the XXXIII International Berry Seminar in Tangier, highlighting the industry's growth and its challenges, particularly drought.
The berry sector in Morocco, a relatively young industry at 25 years, has seen a robust export performance, dispatching over 66,000 tons of blueberries and other berries to the global market until the early months of 2024. This has attracted significant investment, estimated at over 6,000 billion dirhams, and has generated approximately 8 million jobs, underscoring its importance to the Moroccan agricultural export economy.
Despite its success, the industry faces hurdles, notably drought conditions persisting for a decade in some areas. This has prompted a shift towards crops that demand less water yet offer higher returns, such as raspberries and blueberries, with planted areas for these crops expanding to 4,000 and 5,000 hectares respectively. Conversely, strawberry cultivation has seen a reduction from 3,500 to 2,500 hectares.
Agadir, known for its early production start due to beneficial light conditions, and Kenitra, which begins production in mid-February, are key areas for berry cultivation. However, drought has also impacted Agadir, threatening its advantageous position despite the use of desalination projects to support irrigation.
Amouri also discussed efforts to diversify export markets beyond Europe, targeting countries like the Middle East and China. "We have expanded our sales to other countries... and we are now trying to export to China, which is an incredibly large market and where we want to ease the pressure on the European market, to produce larger volumes at a better price," he stated. The industry remains hopeful for the return of rain to overcome the challenges posed by drought.
Source: Blueberries Consulting