Troubling times for Moroccan citrus 

Morocco’s 2019-2020 citrus crop is estimated to slump 40% to 1.56 million tons, according to L’Economiste. The greatest hit is to the smaller fruits for export. The fall in production is partially offset by the entry into production of new plantations. Export prices are significantly higher than last year’s due to the smaller supply in other Mediterranean countries such as Spain, Egypt and Turkey. However, the 4-5 week delay to the start of the season led to a sharper price collapse for the Moroccan supply. This resulted in many producers destroying a large part of their harvest or abandoning it on the tree.

However, it is not all bad news for Morocco’s citrus sector. Demand for all sizes of orange is rising exponentially in sub-Saharan African markets. According to estimates by the Moroccan Association of Packers, citrus shipments to this region currently exceed 600,000 tons.