Moroccan exporters have recently raised their raspberry exports to the UK market sharply, reports EastFruit. The exports of fresh raspberries from Morocco to the UK have grown 40 times over just three past years and reached 15,800 tonnes in the MY 2022/23 (July-June). Those volumes have brought the revenues of $86 mln to Morocco and a status of the leading supplier of fresh raspberries to the UK market.
Just a few years ago, Moroccan raspberries were available in the UK in extremely limited quantities, and exports in the MY 2017/18 were equal to zero. However, the situation changed after Brexit. British importers were actively seeking new alternative sellers, and Moroccan exporters managed to successfully occupy that niche. By the way, the UK was the fifth largest importer of fresh raspberries in the world in 2022.
Morocco has been increasing both its export volumes to the UK and the share in the British market. Morocco accounted for just 1.5% of the total imports of fresh raspberries in the UK just three years ago. In the MY 2022/23, this North African country managed to raise its share to 55%!
As a result, Morocco has become the leading exporter of fresh raspberries to the UK and outpaced Spain, the previous leader. Moreover, Spain has been only reducing its exports to the UK, and their volumes have fallen by 40% over the past five seasons.
For Morocco, fresh raspberries are one of the most important export categories. Local growers continue to expand their areas under raspberry plantations, and thanks to that, Morocco has almost quintupled its fresh raspberry exports over the past six seasons. In the MY 2022/23, the country exported more than 60,000 tonnes of fresh raspberries.
As a result, Morocco has been only improving its position in the global ranking of fresh raspberry exporters and will become the third largest exporter globally in 2022. For comparison, in 2017, Morocco ranked just sixth.
Fresh raspberries are the third export category after tomatoes and mandarins in terms of export revenues, which totaled $340 mln in the MY 2022/23.
Morocco exports fresh raspberries mostly to European countries, with the UK showing the most rapid growth rates. The UK also was the key importer of fresh raspberries from Morocco in the MY 2022/23, with a share of 25% of Morocco’s total exports.
For more information: east-fruit.com