Morocco steps up to the plate to take on UK fresh produce market

Morocco has announced it is stepping up to the plate with its fresh produce offering in the UK thank…

Morocco has announced it is stepping up to the plate with its fresh produce offering in the UK thanks to a new range of Moroccan products specific to the needs of the UK market, direct commercial relationships between operators, new lines of logistics and a new competitive situation towards continental producers.

The UK has long been a major importer of fresh fruits and vegetables and now, with the UK no longer part of the European Union, trade agreements between Morocco and the UK have opened up a completely new environment ripe for the picking – and Morocco is ready to seize the opportunity.

The announcement comes off the back of the launch of Morocco’s first agricultural and seafood product export campaign in the UK – FromMoroccoToUK – which builds on the existing long standing relationship between the two countries to position Morocco as a reliable, credible trading alternative for fresh, sustainable produce.

While Moroccan fresh fruits and vegetables are nothing new to the UK’s fresh produce business – citrus, blueberries, tomatoes and more are already available in supermarkets –Morocco has significantly modernized its agriculture and food industry over the last decade, enhancing opportunities that come through the opening up of the UK market, post-Brexit.

Until now, Morocco was limited by a trade agreement with the EU. Now, by expanding out quotas of quantities and the capacity of producing them in total compliance with the specificities of the UK market, Morocco has become a new big player in the international fresh produce market.

That, coupled with a new sea route linking Tangier to Poole which reduces transport times from six to three days – can guarantee the freshness of products and their availability on the shelves of markets and supermarkets across the UK.

“Beyond the particularly competitive prices, the Moroccan offer is above all a high-quality offer which meets the requirements of distributors and the British population, especially when it comes to sustainable production,” said El Mehdi El Alami, Director of promotion and development of Morocco FoodEx.

“We are convinced that we have high quality products that are not only compliant with the administrative rules of the UK but that also match the expectations of demanding customers.

“Our production capacity is improving year-on-year, our supply chain is reliable and transparent, and our prices are fair. Morocco is ready to compete in a fair and transparent way with other countries– making Morocco a credible, reliable trading alternative for UK businesses.”