Over the 2014-2015 season, total red fruit (strawberry, raspberry, blueberry) production increased by 6% compared to the previous year, reaching 160,000 tons (of which 97% is strawberries). Turnover reached 1.5 billion DH and almost 90% of the fruits are for export.

Over the last few years the sector has had a continuous development in the North of Morocco where planted acreage reaches 4,900 hectares (85% of which is for strawberry production, 10% blueberry and 5% raspberry). These small fruits are very profitable and much in demand on the European and American markets. The sector has been able to expand thanks to the proximity of European markets, a favourable climate and available land, water and qualified manual labour as well as incentives to invest.  

Many European companies have set themselves up in Morocco, which contributed to the sector’s development and allowed it to acquire innovative new techniques (irrigation etc).

Between 2008-2015, raspberry exports quadrupled (from 949 tons to 3,974 tons) and blueberries increased 28 fold (from 139 tons to 3,895 tons). 95% of exported volume from Morocco is for the European market (88% of which is destined to just 3 countries : 35% to Spain, 33% to France and 20% to the UK). Almost all of Morocco’s exported berries are Eurepgap certified and the majority of their packaging stations and freezing units are HACCP certified. The structures comply with technical norms from the most demanding of European or American markets.

10/06/2015

Photo: www.shutterstock.com

Source: Fresh Plaza