Following the record exports of Moroccan blueberries, highlights the sharp increase in its deliveries to Saudi Arabia. In the current marketing campaign (the period from July to June), Morocco has doubled its exports of blueberries to the Saudi Arabian market and has become its main supplier. 

In the 2022/23 campaign, Morocco exported 480 tons of fresh blueberries to Saudi Arabia, compared to less than 200 tons the previous year.

It is worth noting that Moroccan farmers began supplying blueberries to this destination only three seasons ago and have since managed to double or triple their sales volumes each year. For example, in the last two seasons, deliveries from Morocco to Saudi Arabia increased seven-fold, and in the current season, sales brought Morocco almost $3 million in export earnings.

Saudi Arabia is the 38th largest importer of blueberries in the world (2022) and its imports from abroad are growing steadily: in four years, external supplies have almost tripled. Thus, in the current season, more than 1.100 tons of berries from 16 countries were imported into the local market.

Until recently, the main exporters of blueberries to Saudi Arabia were South Africa, Peru, the United States and Mexico. The leadership position changed hands several times over the years. Four seasons ago, the United States was the main supplier and a year later it was surpassed by South Africa. In the last season, the largest volume was imported from Peru (almost a third of total imports).

Peru is the undisputed leader in blueberry exports, far ahead of other producers, and represents around 30% of total blueberry sales in the world.

Peru's exports to Saudi Arabia (up to and including the last season) grew more dynamically. However, in the current season the export of blueberries from Peru plummeted, the details of the reasons why the country had significantly reduced production are explained. Furthermore, Peruvian exports fell so much that the world leader in blueberry export growth rates has changed and foreign sales of Peruvian berries fell in most export markets, including Saudi Arabia.

And since Morocco managed to significantly increase blueberry exports at the same time, the North African country became Saudi Arabia's main supplier in the 2022/23 campaign, surpassing Peru and South Africa by a wide margin. Furthermore, Moroccan blueberries represented 43% of exports to Saudi Arabia, and in the peak months (January to May) they exceeded 80%.

Morocco ranks seventh among the world's largest suppliers of fresh berries and fourth in exports of cultivated blueberries (based on 2022 results). In the 2022/23 campaign, Moroccan berries reached 37 foreign markets. Blueberries ranked fourth in the country's export earnings last year and in the first six months of 2023 they rose to second place, only behind tomatoes.