Morocco’s blueberry exports to the UK market increased significantly after Brexit, with the sales intensified 29 times in just three years, surpassing Spain, one of the largest exporters of this product, according to East Fruit.
The country’s blueberry shipments to the UK exceeded 11,000 tons for the Market Year 2022/23, bringing in approximately $60 million in export revenue.
Moroccan raspberries also swept the British market during that period allowing the North African country to overtake Spain as one of the largest suppliers of this berry to the United Kingdom.
Nearly 60,000 tons of blueberry were delivered from Morocco to the British market between the period July 2022 and June 2023.
Morocco’s blueberry volume shipments to the UK, according to East Fruit, are attributed to growing demand among British consumers.
The East Fruit report also attributed the growth in Morocco’s blueberry exports to the UK to the decrease in this product’s shipments to Spain.
Morocco’s proportion of total imports into the UK surged to 19% as a result, propelling the North African country to second place in the import hierarchy.
Blueberries moved, just in a year, from ranking 4th in Morocco’s export revenue structure to 2nd spot, becoming an important export product for the country.
The majority of Moroccan blueberry exports were geared to Europe, with shipments made to 37 foreign markets in the 2022/23 period.
This brought $315 million in export revenue for Morocco and positioned the country as the 8th largest global supplier of blueberries.
However, Storm Bernard, which slammed Morocco, Spain, and Portugal last month, did substantial damage to early blueberry plantations. This damage is expected to result in a rise in berry prices, according to East Fruit.