Morocco is capitalizing on the growing demand in Europe for avocado. Consumers across the continent are interested in foods that are nutritious, delicious and ready-to-eat. Seeing as the avocado ticks all the boxes, it has plenty of potential in Europe.
The number of people in Europe consuming avocados is going up each year. Besides that, European households eat the green fruit regularly. Thanks to Millennials sharing photos on social media of how to enjoy an avocado, eating the fruit has become trendy. It is for this reason that Moroccan avocados are appearing on supermarket shelves and restaurant menus around Europe.
Avocado Market in Europe
In 2023, Europe shipped in nearly 760,000 tonnes of avocado. It is an increase of 12% from the previous year. Although the avocado market in Europe is dominated by Peru, Morocco is the eighth largest supplier.
Here is the import volume of avocados from Morocco in Europe between 2012 and 2023.
Avocados from Morocco are fetching good prices in the European market. Over the past decade, their import value has risen sharply. Moroccan avocado exports were worth 3 million US Dollars in 2012 and reached about 144 million US Dollars in 2023.
The more Morocco ships out avocado to Europe, the higher it gets from export earnings. The sharpest climb was from 2013 to 2014 at 477%. The peak value was in the year 2023 when it was nearly 144 million US Dollars.
Avocado in Europe
Europeans’ love for avocados is apparent. This is why Morocco is pitching itself to the third largest continent in the world when it comes to population. Some local avocado exporters in Morocco have organized themselves into a group known as the Morocco Avocado Association (MAVA). Since it was formed recently in 2021, their aim is to expand the sector by recruiting others.
The European countries that import Moroccan avocados in bulk are:
- Spain
- France
- Germany
- The Netherlands
- Russia
- The United Kingdom (UK)
Morocco’s close proximity to Europe gives it a huge advantage to supply them with avocados. The North African country is separated from the European continent by the Strait of Gibraltar. Furthermore, the transit time from Morocco to most European nations is under 5 hours via air freight and under 10 days via sea freight. This is shorter compared to those from South American countries.
Export Avocado to Europe
The avocado season in Morocco gives it an edge over other avocado exporting countries. Europeans can find Moroccan avocados during their winter season from December to February. Therefore, they are proving to be a valuable addition to meals even in the coldest months of the year.
Avocados from Morocco have gained ground in the European market. Owing to the fact that they are cheaper than those from Peru, Chile or Colombia. Lower production and logistical costs are the factors behind the reasonably priced Moroccan avocados.
The Mediterranean climate which covers Morocco’s coasts makes it ideal for commercial avocado production. The warm temperatures allow the fruit to mature fast. While the wet periods, that are sometimes prolonged, give the avocado trees time to bear more fruit.
Here is a top foreign exporter of Moroccan avocado
Freshela Exporters
Freshela is a Kenyan based company that engages in the sourcing, processing and exporting of avocados and other fresh produce.
Freshela is a leading exporter of avocados. We source avocados from our company farm and partner farms.
We give competitive pricing to our customers and guarantee reliable delivery time.
We use a modern grading machine to achieve desired avocado weight. The fruit is also graded to eliminate any with physical quality defects.
We pack avocado fruit for both air and sea freights. All of our avocado packing is approved by FDA and is certified by HACCP Quality Assurance.