Spain has discovered the freshness and sweetness of Moroccan avocados as well as their role in providing good health. As a matter of fact, the southwestern European nation has more than doubled its intake from Morocco in the last 10 years. Moreover, Spain is Morocco’s main trading partner.
Spain is opening up further to avocados from Morocco. Although there is avocado production in Spain, its still too low to satisfy local demand. Rising incomes in the nation at the crossroads of Europe and Africa is behind the spike in avocado consumption. Consequently, the avocado trade between Spain and Morocco is set to grow in the years to come.
Spain Avocado Imports
In 2021, Spain shipped in just above 214,000 tons of avocado. It is an increase of 57% from the year 2019 as there is no official data for 2020, according to UN Comtrade. Morocco is the third largest supplier of avocado to Spain.
Here is the import volume of avocados from Morocco in Spain between 2012 and 2021
Avocado Market in Spain
Avocados from Morocco have proved to be a hit in Spain. Over the past decade, their import value has risen sharply. Moroccan avocado exports to Spain were worth 807,000 US Dollars in 2012 and reached about 59 million US Dollars in 2021.
The more Morocco ships out avocado to Spain, the higher it gets from export earnings. The sharpest climb was from 2013 to 2014 at 812%. The peak value was in the year 2021 when it was nearly 59 million US Dollars.
Spain brings Moroccan avocados through its main commercial sea port. Avocados get into the country as sea freight by way of the Port of Algeciras. The sea port has refrigerated container stations.
The other way avocados from Morocco enter Spain is through its main airport. Avocados get into the country as air freight by way of the Madrid Barajas Airport. The airport has a cargo terminal and cold storage rooms to keep avocados fresh as they were when harvested.
Avocado in Spain
Avocado imports have to first go through the Spanish Tax Agency. They are then tested using certain food safety protocols set by the Spanish Agency for Consumer Affairs, Food Safety and Nutrition (AECOSAN). The government of Spain sets the requirements for importers of horticultural produce like avocado through the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
Avocado from Morocco
Here are some advantages Morocco has in supplying avocados to Spain:
- The transit time from Morocco to Spain is about 1 hour 40 minutes via air freight and about 2 days via sea freight. This is shorter compared to those from South American countries.
- The short journey also means avocado importers in Spain incur lower logistical costs.
- Hass, Fuerte and other minor commercial green skin varieties grow in Morocco. They are also available in mixed sizes.
- Moroccan avocados are competitively priced as a result of relatively low production costs.
- The coastal part of the country is covered by a Mediterranean climate which ensures consistency of quality and supply.
Here is a top foreign exporter of Morocco 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.