Blessed with a mild climate, Northwestern Morocco which constitutes such regions as Gharb and Larache is expecting to harvest 60,000 tonnes of avocados.
The harvest follows on the heels of a long-term drought that hit most of Morocco in 2023.
Unlike the Sahel region, however, the north experiences rainfall of up to 98 mm in the wettest month of November.
According to Larache-based grower Mohamed Lackchouch, Morocco’s avocados are water-draining trees that require 30 liters every hour.
Therefore, farmers like Lackchouch alternate rain water with irrigation. The irrigation system uses sensor technology to feed each plant with 15 liters per hour, half the optimum margin.
Farm technology such as drones to spray exacting water on crops is currently enjoying wide adoption across the Maghreb.
Morocco’s Avocado Exports Growing
After fighting weather odds with technology, Morocco’s avocado farmers are likely to export higher tonnage in 2024 than last season’s. The current 2023-24 harvest estimate of 60,000 tonnes already surpasses the 2022-23 one by over 33%.
Between July 2022 and May 2023, avocado exports reached 45,000 metric tonnes, worth $139 million. That season, Morocco claimed the slot of the 9th biggest avocado-exporting nation. Only Kenya had more exports for an African country that period.
Morocco exports almost all of its avocado harvest, with the Hass cultivar making up 90% of the consignment.
Lucrative EU Export destinations
This bulk goes to lucrative export markets in the European Union (EU) that include Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and France.
It is Germany, however, the world’s 5th biggest avocado importer, that has brought growth momentum to Morocco’s avocado exports. End 2023 figures show that Morocco has been exporting 10% of its “green gold” to Germany.
By 2023, the export base had expanded dramatically from just Morocco’s Mediterranean neighbor, Spain, to 19 nations. Italy, Portugal and Russia are the three other major importers.
Small Fruits this Season
On the flip side, a fruit size problem hovers over the harvest and may impact the export market’s preferences.
Farmers say they are harvesting small-sized fruits, which might affect demand in a market that prefers large sizes. This often happens at times of bumper harvests as the more a tree produces, the more the likelihood of small fruits.
Morocco’s avocado sizes on average fall into 12, 14, 16 small, 18 and 20 medium, and 21 to 24 large.
The North African nation boasts four major varieties that include Hass, Zutano, Fuerté and Gwen.