In a previous report East Fruit reveals a near-record performance in Moroccan bell pepper exports. According to the source, the country exported 150 thousand tons between January and August, 20% more than the previous season. Amine Amanatoullah, an early vegetable grower based in Agadir, comments on the situation.
Amanatoullah says, "Pepper volumes have increased significantly this season. Many growers have replaced part or all of their tomato production with peppers, either because of the difficulties in the tomato sector, or to diversify their production and markets. Production is quite diverse regarding varieties, with square, kapia, Kasia, and other peppers produced."
This new production is finding markets demanding peppers, Amanatoullah adds: "Yields and quality are good in the Agadir region this year, despite a thrips problem and high temperatures. Demand from English, Dutch, and French markets is quite good. European customers are adopting Moroccan peppers, and peppers are taking their place alongside other Moroccan early vegetables on European shelves. Demand is also strong in West African markets, which account for a fairly significant proportion of exports."
"We're seeing more demand for red square peppers, whether in Europe or Africa. Prices for red peppers are higher than for yellow ones, a peculiarity of the season. Yellow prices are even lower than the norm. We're also seeing much less demand for mixed-color pepper packs."
Nevertheless, Amanatoullah says he is not feeling the effects of record demand: "I'm seeing normal demand similar to last season. Even the prices don't reflect an increase in demand. We're observing what's happening in Spain and whether production will be impacted by the extreme climate. In that case, we could talk about a jump in demand."
"It's a difficult product to develop in any case, due to its fragility, which poses limitations in conservation and transportation. Achieving a major step in the export of peppers requires the acquisition of experience," Amanatoullah concludes.
For more information:
Amine Amantoullah
Fastexpo
Tel. : +212 661 281321
Email: [email protected]