In the Souss region of southern Morocco, growers are producing the fresh fruit and vegetables that are supplying rapidly expanding numbers of UK customers. Statistics released by the UK’s HM Revenue and Customs indicate that imports of Moroccan produce for January 2021 grew by 51% compared to January 2020. They went from 20,236 tons to 30,648, following the UK’s withdrawal from European Union trading arrangements at the beginning of the year.
This demand growth is spurring British shipping company United Seaways to create a new direct cargo route connecting the UK and Morocco in time for this year’s summer harvests. It will be the first non-stop route linking the two nations from Poole in Dorset to Tangier-Med in northern Morocco. The service will utilize a roll-on, roll-off freight ferry and will bypass EU to UK checks at European borders.In the UK, the biggest growth can be observed in the import of Moroccan zucchinis, which saw an increase from 95 tons imported in January 2020, to 878 tons imported in January 2021, an increase of 822%. Demand for Moroccan strawberries also saw a striking increase, from 231 tons in January 2020, to 1,292 tons last year, a growth of 459% according to official UK government statistics.