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Economy

Frozen Out: How Climate Shocks Chilled Morocco's Produce Exports in 2023

Monday 26 February 2024 - 14:12

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Morocco experienced a significant decline in frozen fruit and vegetable exports in 2023 due to adverse weather conditions and increased global competition. Data from EastFruit reveals that between January and October 2023, Morocco exported less than 70,000 tons of frozen produce, marking its weakest performance in six years.

The frozen strawberry sector was particularly affected by adverse weather events, with exports plummeting to only 45,000 tons during the first ten months of the year. Devastating storms, cold spells, and drought in April severely damaged strawberry crops, leading to a sharp decrease in shipments during the critical February to May export period.

Similarly, raspberry exports were impacted by a surplus in the European Union market, with Morocco exporting only 10,000 tons compared to competitors such as Ukraine, Poland, and Serbia, each exceeding 40,000 tons. Additionally, exports of apricots and other fruits reached some of their lowest levels in recent memory.

The European Union, which imports approximately 80% of Morocco's supplies, experienced a 40% year-over-year decrease in imports from Morocco, significantly affecting overall export performance. Shipments to North America also declined by 28% between January and October.

While exports to new markets such as China, East Asia, and South America saw slight increases, these volumes remained insignificant compared to traditional markets. Furthermore, the threat of water scarcity due to inadequate rainfall poses a significant challenge to future agricultural productivity in Morocco's frozen produce sector.

Morocco's frozen produce industry faces an uphill battle to recover from the challenges of 2023. Whether the sector can overcome these obstacles and improve its fortunes remains uncertain, as it depends on various factors including weather patterns and market conditions.