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Morocco: Agri-food leading export activity

Global Arab Network - - Rabih Serrai

Sunday, 20 June 2010 12:19

The industry of agri-food and fisheries play a major role in the Moroccan economic. It contributes with 16% in the gross domestic product and 20% in exports. The sector comprises 2,050 production units spread over the whole territory and employs 108,000 employees. In 2008, the value of production/exportation reached respectively 6,900 million Euros and 1.140 million Euros. The added value on products generated 1,620 million Euros for a total investment of 310 million Euros.

This industry is boosting: the first 5 exportation categories (fruit and vegetables; fresh and prepared fish; olive oil, spices and nuts; and prepared fruit and vegetables) make a quarter of Moroccan exportations.

Agri-food and fishery exported up to 1,152,121 tons in 2009. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the first exported categories with 40% of total volume, followed by citrus (25%), fishery products (24%) and transformed fruits and vegetables (11%).
Processed fishery and agriculture products made an amount of 100 million Euros. The medicinal and aromatic plants come first with a total value of 55 million Euros.

Fresh fruits and vegetables
This is a leading activity with 786,606 tons of fresh fruit and vegetables exported in 2009. It contributes with 20% of annual exportations and 18% in the Gross Domestic Product, on average. This favorable situation is reflected through good positions. Indeed, Morocco is the:
o    10th worldwide exporter of tomatoes, leader product in the Moroccan truck farming
o    2nd worldwide exporter of French beans
o    11th worldwide exporter of strawberry, several varieties of which are known by their precocity (Chandler, Guariguette, Douglas, Osso Grande and Selva)
o    12th worldwide exporter of melon.

Morocco is the 2nd worldwide citrus exporter
Second largest clementine exporter after Spain and the sixth largest exporter of oranges, Morocco is the 2nd largest worldwide citrus exporter. With 483,147 tons exported in 2009, the sector participates with 35% in the exportation volume. It is to be noted that 39% of Moroccan citrus exportation go straight to the European Union.

·    Europe is the first Moroccan client with 93% of the tonnage.·    Morocco has been engaged for several years now in the organic industry: Europe is the largest importer of organic products, in particular France, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Transformed fruits and vegetables
206 tons of transformed fruits and vegetables were exported in 2009. Many of these transformed products are exported in various types. Frozen fruits and canned olives are the two most exported products.
Europe is the first client of Morocco in terms of transformed fruit and vegetables with an importation rate of 72%:

Seafood products
With 462,972 tons exported in 2008, the industry of sea products is the third industry in the Moroccan exportation activity, after the sectors of fruit and vegetables and citrus. Oriented mostly towards exportation and highly diversified, the sector plays a major role in the Moroccan economy.
Boasting 3,500 km of coastlines, Morocco offers a wide variety of seafood products (anchovies, sardines, mackerel, tuna, pelagic fish, cephalopods, molluscs, crustaceans, fishmeal, agar-agar), and preparation methods (canned, semi -canned, fresh, frozen ...). More than 70% of landed fish is processed locally and exported to over 100 destinations.

Morocco stands out as the largest African producer and the first worldwide exporter of sardines. Sardine represents 89% of exported canned fish.

Morocco is considered as an important regional platform with its efficient production facilities, know-how and experienced workforce. The adopted production processes meet the more demanding international quality standards. Strong with its experience, Morocco now offers a wide variety of sea products, known worldwide by their authenticity and flavor.

Global Arab Network

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