[Curiosities] Sub-Saharan Africa is Key Destination for Morocco’s Carrots Exports

[BirSaNN]

Morocco’s carrots exports to the EU keep declining, new data shows.

Rabat - Sub-Saharan Africa is a key destination for Morocco’s carrots exports, according to agriculture-focused website EastFruit.

Data from EastFruit said Morocco’s carrots exports increased by 46% annually since 2017.

“By 2022 [carrots’ exports] reached a record 43000 tonnes,” the data shows, suggesting that Sub-Saharan Africa remains the main recipient of Moroccan carrots.

Morocco’s carrots target sub-Saharan markets, with exports to the EU “remaining minor” and “declining.”

“Exports to the EU reached their peak of 1400 tonnes in 2020, but two years later, only 730 tonnes of carrots were exported to the EU from Morocco,” EastFruit added.

The main markets receiving Morocco’s carrot goods include Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, and Burkina Faso, among others.

Climate challenges including delayed rainfall forced many countries in the Sahel to increase their agricultural imports, including carrots.

Morocco is among the key exporters of agricultural goods to the region, including Mauritania - which doubled its imports of carrots and onions from many countries.

Morocco’s vegetable and fruit exports raised concerns from many, including citizens affected by soaring food prices, suggesting that satisfying the local demand should come before exporting to foreign countries.

New data from FreshPlaza suggested that Morocco’s exports of fruits and vegetables recorded a 13% increase during the 2021-2022 season compared to the season before.

The situation triggered frustration from citizens who continue to suffer from inflation, which has affected their purchasing power and put many essential products out of their reach.

Tomato, potato, and onion prices have stirred concerns from many amid government vows to address the situation.  Officials have pledged to curb exports to address the domestic demand that is resulting in soaring prices.

Exports also caused worrying pressure on the national market.

Fatiha Charrat, deputy managing director for Moroccan fresh produce exporter Delassus Group, acknowledged that some food products like tomatoes will experience continuous shortages due to several factors, including climate issues.

She told FreshPlaza that tomato shortages will continue in Morocco until mid-May, suggesting that exports could also be one of the factors leading to the shortages.

 “Tomatoes accounted for 50% of Morocco’s fresh produce exports,” she said.

FreshPlaza data from January had shown that Morocco was the second largest tomato exporter to Europe in 2022, with 405 million kilograms of the kingdom’s products sent to European countries.

link: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/04/354906/sub-saharan-africa-is-key-destination-for-moroccos-carrots-exports