Morocco produces a wide range of fruit and vegetables. But foremost in many exporters minds at the moment is citrus, the leader of the export pack.
The clementine season began 10 days early compared to the 2005/06 season, according to Fatiha Charrat, sales and marketing manager of Delassus. “Recent weather has been good and harvesting began on October 15,” she tells FPJ. “Morocco has already exported about 20,000 tonnes but exporters have been targeting Russia and Canada so huge volumes haven’t been shipped to Europe.”
The UK expects to receive its first shipment of clementines later this month. Charrat reports very good quality but adds fruit is sizing towards the smaller counts. “There has been some rain in early November and we’re due for more so that should help the sizes,” she says.
Dave Gilbert, sales manager of Fruco, is optimistic about the upcoming season and says the firm enjoys long-established working relationships with Moroccan producers.
Fruco sources a range of Moroccan citrus including all orange varieties and clementines, clem nours and ortalines, as well as courgettes, peaches and nectarines.
While the UK remains a strong market for Morocco, Gilbert envisages stronger challenges from other sources.
He says: “Continual growth from Egypt will eat into Morocco’s market share in oranges. The Moroccan clementine, once viewed in the UK as the premier soft citrus, now hardly makes an appearance on the UK market with the vast majority being shipped to North America on fixed-price contracts.”
Indeed, Gilbert says Morocco will need to show its mettle. “Exporters have had some very difficult times over the past couple of years and really need a good season this time round, otherwise I can see some companies diversifying into other products,” he predicts.
Moroccan producers are certainly hoping for a good season and many are also investing in their operations to safeguard their future.
Delassus is working towards Fairtrade accreditation for citrus. It has also planted a new early-bearing clementine variety. Although the producer is extending its window, the new variety, which comes on line in mid-November, is “unlikely to be interesting to the European market” due to Spain’s dominance, according to Charrat.
Rivalry between Morocco and Spain has been ongoing for many years and it is clear that Spain is concerned about Moroccan shipments. Alfonso Gálvez Caravaca of Spanish association Asaja Murcia, says Morocco’s “unmonitored exports,” due to the Morocco-EU free trade agreement, are threatening the Murcian citrus industry.
Certainly, growers have announced expansion plans and some citrus producers are busy replacing old orchards and converting to new varieties.
However, according to an earlier report by the USDA, water shortages remain a real issue, particularly in the Souss area. It also believes that replanting being carried out by farmers in the Gharb (vicinity of Kenitra) is insufficient.
What is clear is that there is going to be more citrus available in key markets this season. Moroccan production is expected to be at similar levels to last year at 1.25mt, according to the Mediterranean Citrus Liaison Committee (CLAM). However, exporters plan to increase shipments by 10 per cent to 600,000t, split evenly between easy peelers and oranges.
Morocco is making a name for itself in the berry sector and Redbridge Worldfresh expects to receive its first strawberries at the end of November or the beginning of December. Although this is of similar timing compared to last year, the company expects to see a “considerable increase” in earlier production for 2006/07.
Redbridge Worldfresh’s main varieties will be Festival and Sabrosa this year as it continues its move away from Camarosa as the main focus of production, says Ian Waller, sales director.
Waller says Morocco enjoyed good weather conditions during planting and the plants are now well established. “We are confident of a good early crop but as ever Mother Nature will determine the overall season,” he adds.
According to Waller, the general opinion is that Morocco will produce approximately 30 per cent less volume this season. However, Redbridge Worldfresh will buck this trend and claims that with its Moroccan partner, it will see a 40 per cent increase in production.
Moroccan production compliments Spanish output, according to Waller. “Our strategic vertical integration with our partners in both Morocco and Spain has ensured we have careful planning that gives continuity of supply of preferred varieties,” he says.
When asked about the commitments Redbridge Worldfresh has made to its Moroccan operations in recent years, Waller answers that part of its strategy was to ensure funds were available for high tunnels. Rain has historically affected supplies from Morocco and these high tunnels have ensured availability.
He is optimistic about prospects for Moroccan strawberries. He says: “I believe that Morocco will continue to be a dominant force in strawberry production and through the varietal development work our breeding company Redeva is conducting in Morocco, we will be introducing new, earlier varieties that will be higher yielding and better tasting.”
While UK importers are optimistic about opportunities for citrus and berries, it has been a mixed deal for Moroccan grapes this season. Exporters had initially been very optimistic about their export prospects in 2006, with some anticipating shipments will reach 12,000t, compared with 8,000t last year.
However, one leading UK firm imported Moroccan grapes for the first time earlier this year and said the venture “wasn’t a great success”.
Morocco’s producers and exporters also reported a challenging season, declaring the UK market was too crowded this season.
Delassus has supplied grapes for three years and the company ships 99 per cent of its volumes to England, says Charrat. “Morocco only has a very small window in the UK which runs from May until the end of June,” she explains. “If production is delayed, then we arrive at the same time as Spain. There’s also growing competition from Egypt.”
Grapes are also on Idyl’s agenda. The producer-exporter has devoted some 50 hectares of land to grapes in the Marrakech area and sold small volumes to the UK this season. “We had a good response to grapes but the market is crowded,” says Idyl’s Philippe Puech. “When our supplies are available, the UK also receives grapes from Egypt, India and Southern Europe.”
Idyl is perhaps best known for its Charentais melons (pictured on p22) and the firm will begin shipping its first load to the UK in March. The company has begun planting but says it is still early days. “Recent weather conditions have been good but we’ll have to see what the situation is like when it comes to harvesting next year,” Puech says.
The company has, however, doubled its volumes over the last year to 5,000t and Puech says it is looking at new outlets. He is confident that the UK will remain a strong supporter.
“We’ve enjoyed good demand from the UK,” Puech says. “About five-six years ago, UK supermarkets only wanted Galia melons but now they’re diversifying.”
Consumers are not the only ones who are diversifying. Following strong demand for Moroccan citrus, Idyl has devoted 150ha to clementine plantings. The crop is due to come on line in 2008. “UK supermarkets are showing great interest in Moroccan citrus because of the taste,” claims Puech.
Although France accounts for 50 per cent of Idyl’s volumes, the producer is hoping to make headway in other markets, including the UK.
The company is looking to produce 7,000t of courgettes this season and 20 per cent will be sold on the British market, primarily in farmers’ markets, says Puech.
With its fingers in so many pies, Idyl is looking to establish strong relationships and is looking to the UK’s major outlets. “Retailers are certainly showing greater interest in Morocco, compared to earlier in the decade when UK supermarkets were very interested in Spain,” Puech says. “Now, they want supplies from both countries.”
Meanwhile, Moroccan group Azura is limbering up for the new season. Having invested in a new farm and with the roll out of a new tomato range, new packaging and greater volumes of UK-preferred varieties, Azura is confident it can increase its market presence.
Indeed, Azura reveals that the UK will be one of its main targets this season. “We plan to export more volumes than last year as Azura’s quality products meet UK demand,” says a spokesperson.
Overall export volumes will however remain similar to last season, at 60,000t. Tomatoes will account for the vast majority of the export crop at 50,000t, with courgettes and beans contributing heavily to shipments.
Already well known for its tomato offering, Azura is hoping its new range ‘Gourmet Tomatoes’, to be launched this season, will raise its profile higher.
According to Azura, the varieties coming under this range such as cherry and plum tomatoes have been specifically chosen for their taste, and “new, eye-catching, packaging” has been developed.
“We offer tasty and healthy products in small units,” says Azura. “Prepacked products are easier to buy, carry and eat. Snacking is now a strong category and fruit and vegetable producers have to adapt their packaging to meet this demand.”
It’s been a busy year for the company, which has recently built a new farm in Dakhla, south Morocco. “We chose Dakhla for the weather and it’s a good location to grow tomatoes, particularly small varieties such as cherry, cherry on the vine and baby plum,” its spokesperson says. “Indeed, constant temperatures and slightly salted water give our tomatoes a good shelf life and a great taste.”
The new farm compliments Azura’s existing operations which cover an area of 650ha. These are located in the Souss region, south of Agadir.
“Our farms are in a natural environment, where there are few producers of tomatoes,” says Azura. “Consequently, there is low disease pressure and we can use biological protection like auxiliary insects.”
IPM techniques are a growing concern for Azura and the firm hopes to double implementation this year. It has set up a partnership with Biobest, an auxiliary insects’ specialist, and aims to forge closer ties with the company.
As well as its new acquisition, it has invested in new packing facilities and has ploughed its efforts into a spectrum of technical and educational programmes.
Azura claims its computerised management system at its farms improves traceability and farm management, while residue tests are to be increased by 50 per cent to offer greater security.
The company is also involved in a scientific programme, initiated by the IRD research centre in Montpellier, in conjunction with four universities in Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and Senegal, to develop organic techniques for the treatment of soils.
Much is made of Morocco’s lower labour costs and Azura concedes that this is the case. However, this is partly offset by higher logistical costs as it is more expensive for the firm to ship to its EU markets.
In the past, Morocco has been criticised for its reluctance to look ahead. “In general Moroccan exporters are not as forward thinking as perhaps they could be in terms of new varieties and packaging,” says a UK importer.
While that attitude still prevails in certain quarters, it is clear that Morocco is in fighting mode.
A philosophical Charrat asks: “Who’s the competitor? Morocco or Spain? It depends on who you ask.”
Supporters are keen to stress that the Moroccan fresh produce sector is changing and Puech says that many smaller producers and exporters are joining forces so that they can enjoy greater leverage and target larger customers.
In these competitive times, it pays to have as many advantages as possible. Certainly, Moroccan producers believe Egypt is going to be a bigger threat in the future especially in terms of supplying grapes and citrus.
However, Puech says that Egyptian produce has further to travel and some of the more perishable products are unlikely to respond well to long journeys.
Spain is undoubtedly Morocco’s main rival but joint ventures between the two countries on key vegetable lines such as tomatoes, beans and courgettes ensure that the two countries enjoy mutual benefits.
Delassus is involved in a joint venture on cherry tomatoes with a Spanish grower and is hoping to increase exports to 12,000t this season, compared to 10,000t last year in 2005/06.
No comments yet