Rabat - Morocco aims to increase its citrus exports to the European Union, the Moroccan Citrus Interprofessional Federation announced this week. According to FreshPlaza, a news website that mainly covers vegetable and fruits imports, Morocco seeks to increase its citrus exports to 15 to 20%, the equivalent of 600,000 and 650,000 tonnes. The website said Morocco’s citrus plantations “have currently stabilised at around 135 thousand hectares planted.” Morocco exports citrus fruits to the UK, the EU, Russia, Gulf countries, Canada, Asia, and the US, the news outlet added. It quoted El Mehi El Alami, Director of Promotion and Development of Morocco Foodex, as saying that Brexit gives “both the UK and Morocco a totally new environment full of opportunities.” “Moroccan products specific to the needs of UK markets, direct commercial relationship between operators, new competitive situation towards continental producers and new lines of logisities,” El Alami added. Amid the growing reputation of Morocco’s products in the international market, several farmers and organizations from the EU have expressed concerns over rising Moroccan exports to Europe. EU imports of tomatoes from Morocco increased by 26% in the past five years, while tomato exports from the Netherlands and Spain to the EU decreased by 5% and 20%.
In a previous article, FreshPlaza argued that Spain is facing strong competition from Morocco, “whose presence is growing in the [European] community market.” According to FEPEX, “such competition also affects other producing countries such as the Netherlands, which is why a trade policy that supports community preference is becoming increasingly urgent.” Groups of European agriculture producers from several countries have long expressed concerns over the increasing presence of Moroccan products. In October, 200 farmers from the Spanish city of Almeria and representatives of fruit and vegetable companies carried out a protest around the port of the city against Spain’s importing of Moroccan agricultural products.