A new Moroccan-Dutch partnership in the horticultural sector promises to boost the production of high-quality snack tomatoes in the Agadir region. A 24-hectare greenhouse project, under the name Callystar, has recently opened near Agadir, the result of collaboration between Dutch producers The Valley and Schenkeveld, the company Ceres SRL and Moroccan partners.

The joint venture, led by Abdelghani Meghras as CEO and Jop Hendriks As project manager, he will focus on the cultivation of high-value snack tomatoes. The marketing of the production will be handled by the Growers United group, of which Callystar is a member. The planting of the first greenhouses, carried out last week, marks an important milestone in this initiative, according to Richard Hartensveld from Callystar, who expressed his pride in this joint achievement.

The project has received support from the Dutch authorities, as demonstrated by the visit of the Dutch ambassador to Morocco, Dirk Jan Nieuwenhuis, to the new facilities. The ambassador praised bilateral cooperation in the horticultural sector, a key area for both countries. The visit, organized by the Minister of Agriculture Patricia de Vries and Yassine Errachti, also featured the participation of other Dutch companies in the sector such as Fresh Grow Morocco, Kamps Beans Morocco (KBM), Agro Care and Quality Bean Morocco, who highlighted the advantages of combining Dutch experience with Morocco's favorable agroclimatic conditions.

This initiative is part of the growth of the Moroccan horticultural sector, which is increasingly integrated into the international market, with a focus on sustainability, innovation, and exports. Trade in fruits and vegetables between Morocco and the Netherlands is already significant.

In 2024, according to COMTRADE data published by TradingEconomics, the Netherlands imported $146.10 million worth of vegetables and $127.03 million worth of fruits, citrus fruits, and melons from Morocco, demonstrating the strong cooperation and Morocco's significant contribution to the supply of fresh produce to the Dutch market.