Morocco has been steadily increasing its exports of mandarins to Canada, reports EastFruit. In the MY 2022/23 (September-April) Moroccan exporters shipped 73,000 tonnes of mandarins, a record high result ever and a half of Canada’s total mandarin imports from all destinations. Moreover, Morocco managed to increase its exports to Canada despite a decline in its total exports of mandarins in the current MY.
Mandarins are one of the most important export categories for Morocco, and the country is among the top five biggest exporters of these fruits. In the MY 2021/22, Morocco exports reached their high of 625,000 tonnes. Mandarins are the leading category of Morocco’s exports of fruits and the second after tomatoes in total horticultural exports. They have already brought the export value of $290 mln for the Moroccan exporters in the current MY.
The Moroccan mandarin export season lasts from September to August, and the country has been rapidly increasing its exports in the past few marketing years. However, the year 2022 brought Moroccan mandarin growers low yields, followed by a decline in exports. Thus, exports in the first eight months of the current MY fell by more than 25% year-over-year.
Morocco exports mandarins to about 60 countries of the world. In the MY 2022/23, exports to almost any destination fell except for Canada. Moreover, Canada’s imports of mandarins from Morocco reached their record high.
In September 2022 – April 2023, Morocco exported 73,000 tonnes of mandarins to the Canadian market, and Canada was the third after Russia and the USA biggest importer of these products.
In its turn, Canada is one the biggest importers of mandarins in the world and ranks tenth in that regard. Canada annually imports 150,000-160,000 tonnes of these fruits, and Morocco is its most important supplier.
Moroccan mandarin exports to Canada reached their record high in the MY 2020/21. Then they started to decline, but the share of Morocco in the Canadian market went up.
How did Moroccan growers manage to raise their exports to Canada under conditions of a decline in trade in mandarins in both countries?
Moroccan mandarin export season starts in October and lasts until April, with the peak observed in November-March. Such large market players as South Africa and Peru were not present at the market during that period, while Spain and China also reduced their exports. Thus, only two countries (USA and Morocco) seized the opportunity and raised their exports to Canada. The US mandarin exports to the Canadian market went up by 40%, and the USA accounted for the share of 15% in Canada’s total imports. In its turn, Morocco accounted for up to 45%.
For more information: east-fruit.com