The opening day was marked by a wealth of information and data analysis on the global industry's commercial situation, the international market, and the local situation. In their presentations, renowned experts highlighted the sector's tremendous dynamism, which year after year surprises the world with its sustained growth in both volume and quality.

A highlight of the morning session was the Conversation Panel “Analysis of the global berry industry: challenges and competitiveness strategies”, which featured the participation of prominent industry figures: Amine bennani, president of the Moroccan Fruit Producers Association; Youssef Bensajjy, Head of Agricultural Development ORMVA du Loukkos; Said Zelai, director Fruits Rouges Providence Verte; Mohammed Harras, director of Fruits Rouges CAP Agro; Otman El Qacemi, Social and Environmental Impact Manager at Driscoll's Morocco; Ali Rougui, Head of the Business Intelligence Department at Morocco Foodex; and Said Ouhada, president of the BestBerry Cooperative.

Challenges and opportunities

During the discussion, the experts agreed that the berry industry—and the blueberry industry in particular—is experiencing unusual momentum, although it faces structural challenges that will shape its evolution. Among the key aspects highlighted were:

• Water and water stress: The Agadir region could expand its productive potential with greater water availability, while in Loukkos the priority is to advance technological innovation to optimize resources.
• Quality and traceability: The international consumer is increasingly demanding, requiring investment in post-harvest, cold storage systems, and logistics to ensure competitive standards. It was also highlighted that many producers are migrating from strawberries to blueberries in response to these new quality and traceability demands.
• Globalized market: Growing international competition is generating narrower margins and raising production costs, so the sector must focus on added value and quality differentiation.
• Workforce: A productivity gap was evident compared to other countries (in Mexico, a worker harvests an average of 12 kilos of blueberries per hour, while in Morocco, the average is only 3 to 4). Worker training, job stability, and improved conditions for local and migrant workers are emerging as decisive factors for the future. At this point, the differences between the Moroccan and African labor force were also discussed, highlighting the need for greater regulation and better conditions to attract and retain workers in agriculture.
• Social responsability: The panel stressed that sustainability and social impact cannot be separated from the industry's competitiveness.

Prospects for Morocco

Experts emphasized that the Moroccan berry industry is experiencing a promising expansion phase, with the potential to continue conquering international markets thanks to its geopolitical advantage: proximity to Europe and direct access to strategic ports.

In this context, the experience of Peru was mentioned, a country that has managed to establish itself as a world leader through the professionalization of its workforce and the implementation of innovative harvest incentive strategies, such as worker bonus systems. Thus, the experts pointed out that Morocco should take these examples as a reference, but adapt them to its own reality. strengthening job training and increasing productivity per hectare.

An industry with room to grow

One of the most relevant points presented by Otman El Qacemi (Driscoll's Morocco) was that global consumption of berries is still in its infancy compared to its potential. This means the industry maintains ample room for growth in the global market, opening up opportunities for emerging countries in the sector, such as Morocco, to establish themselves as strategic suppliers.