Morocco is strengthening the upward trend in greenhouse tomato exports this year, following the industry’s recovery from the autumn 2023 crisis. Between January and July, Moroccan tomato exports reached record-high levels, with 424,000 tons already shipped to international markets.
This represents a 16% increase compared to the average export volume for January to July over the past five years, with the closest comparable figure being 414,000 tons in 2022. Morocco set monthly export records in January, March, and July this year. However, the final export figure for 2024 will largely depend on autumn developments and the impact of summer weather, which has been less than favorable.
Around half of Morocco’s tomato exports went to France, while the rest were primarily distributed across EU countries, the UK, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Germany, in particular, showed significant growth in importing Moroccan tomatoes, receiving 25,000 tons in the first seven months of this year, compared to 21,000 tons for the whole of last year.
It is important to highlight that these figures only account for direct shipments of Moroccan products, while their actual reach in global markets may be much broader. Since Moroccan exporters initially focused on the traditional EU markets like France, Spain, and the Netherlands, exports to newer EU member states, such as Poland, the Czech Republic, and the Baltic countries, are often channeled through these nations.
Polish statistics show that tomato imports from Morocco reached 30,000 tons between January and July 2024. However, in Moroccan export data, these volumes are likely attributed to sales to France, the Netherlands, or Germany. Moreover, Morocco has already established itself as a trendsetter in the Polish tomato market, particularly in the growing segment of cherry tomatoes.
