The Moroccan berry industry has had a very positive export balance until the first months of 2024, with more than 66.000 tons of blueberries and other berries exported to the international market. It is a sector that is generating a significant amount of investment, estimated at more than 6.000 billion dirhams.

On the occasion of XXXIII International Berry Seminar that this was done September 11 in the city of TangierWe spoke with Mohamed Amouri, president of the Moroccan Interprofessional Federation of Red Fruits. The leader agrees with these figures and adds details of the industry: “Yes, we are talking about a sector that is not very old, recent, barely 25 years old, an agricultural sector that is very interesting in terms of sales figures, and that in terms of water consumption is not very consuming, it is a medium consumption sector” he explains.

Photography Blueberries Consulting

Drought, the great challenge

The sector is a major employer of labour in Morocco, with an estimated 8 million jobs of various kinds, and adds great value to the Moroccan agricultural export economy. However, it is facing major challenges, notably the drought, which in some areas has already lasted for ten years.

Red fruits are produced and cultivated mainly in three regions of Morocco. In the northwest, between the Kenitra area, which is the Rabat – Kenitra region. Also in the northern region, in Tangier Tetouan – Al Hoceima and in the south, in the Souss- Massa area.

The three areas that are home to this crop behave on a par in terms of production. The south has the great advantage of producing early fruit due to the hours of light it offers to the crop (the hours of light determine the precocity of each crop) and production begins practically from mid-November or early December.

Good quality, good prices

In the north-west, in Kenitra, production begins practically in mid-February, when the European blueberry market is short of fruit. When exports end, practically in mid-November, Agadir continues to produce fresh, good-quality fruit close to the market.

Moroccan fruit fetches much higher prices, which is why they have come to the south to invest in these crops, because Agadir remains with reservoirs full of water, the result of the flooding every three years, which allows irrigation to the entire area. However, the rain has also stopped reaching Agadir and its privileged position has been in danger since 2014. It is only supported by water desalination projects for the 15 thousand hectares of surface area. The area is rich in blueberry and raspberry crops, although the desalinated water is not of the same quality as the surface water of the reservoirs, so the yield of the crops is not the same as those in the north.

Photography Blueberries Consulting

New markets

The planted area of ​​raspberries and blueberries has increased, with 4.000 and 5.000 hectares respectively, however, the area of ​​strawberries has decreased from 3.500 to 2.500 hectares. The trend is clearly to invest in crops that yield more, with less water and greater added value.

“We have expanded our sales to other countries, mainly Russia and the Middle East, 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,” says Mohamed Amouri, and warns: “We can say that the berries are in good health. We hope that the rains will return. We have not yet overcome the bad times and we hope that Mother Nature will be generous,” he concludes.