Tomatoes are Morocco´s agricultural export hit

Agriculture in Morocco has always been a strategic sector for the socio-economic development of the country. In 2013, agriculture represented 15.5% of the nominal GDP.

Tomatoes constitute one of Morocco’s most important fresh exported agricultural products and a main revenue earner. At the social level, the sector creates an average of 9 million working days per year on production, packaging and processing. Moreover, it plays a role of new technologies development driving for agricultural and agro-industrial sector.

With an average area of 5000 ha, the tomato sector provides a total production of 565,000 tonnes per year. The main production areas are the Souss Massa, El Jadida and Casablanca. Most greenhouses are located on the coastal area. The varieties are constantly changing in the market. The main varieties used in Morocco are Daniela in the absence of nematodes; Gabriela in case of presence of nematode. Other varieties are available on the market.  The planting season is July and August for the late season crops. The density is around 18,000 to 20,000 plants per hectare for crops under greenhouse and 23,000 to 25,000 plants per hectare for field crops.[1] Tomato can be harvested over six months (November to May). Yield vary from 120 to 220 tonnes per hectar (t /ha) under greenhouse and 40-60 t / ha in the field depending on the crop monitoring.

Between 2007-08 and 2012-13, Morocco exported an average of 414,277 tonnes of tomatoes annually, accounting for 33% of production. Therefore tomato exports play an important role as they generate nearly 1.1 billion dirham in foreign currency. For years Europe remains the kingdom’s primary trading partner in this segment, absorbing about 350,000 tonnes of the crop annually. Regarding exports, 90% of Moroccan tomato was exported to the European Union, mainly France with 68 % of total exports, 8% to Russia and 2% to the rest of the world.[2]

Round tomatoes represent approximately 68% of exports, bunches (grappe) 6% and cherry tomatoes 26%. The rather high share of cherry tomatoes is related to the high competition in the EU market. The EU applies a complex system of preferences for tomato imports from Morocco. Quantities are fixed and serve as entry price quotas and tariff rate quotas at the same time. High-price cherry tomatoes gained importance in Moroccan exports, since they were less affected by restrictions concerning minimum entry prices.

[1] MAPM, 2015
[2] EACCE, 2015