FAO Investment Centre

From virtual marketplace to B2B, new trade opportunities for Moroccan producers

09/12/2021

Morocco’s production of fresh produce, including counter-season fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, berries, cucumbers and peppers, plus its proximity to Europe, are big draws. Morocco’s small citrus fruits, in particular, are export standouts. FAO and the EBRD are working with Morocco’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests and Morocco FoodEx, the Ministry’s export control and promotion arm, to improve high value-added trade opportunities for Moroccan fruit and vegetable producers.

In early January 2020, 15 Moroccan citrus, tomato and berry producers and their interprofessional association representatives travelled to Poland to explore trade prospects. They visited wholesale markets, met with importers and main retail chains and saw the level of logistics needed to operate in the Polish market.

As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded and restrictions tightened, FAO and the EBRD arranged for 25 Moroccan fruit and vegetable producers to take part in Fresh Market – a virtual marketplace bringing together producers, suppliers, big retail chains and importers of fresh fruits and vegetables from across the world.

Prior to the virtual marketplace, the producers networked with importers and potential clients from Belarus, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Russia and Ukraine during two days of tailored online B2B meetings.

At the request of Morocco FoodEx, FAO and the EBRD are studying the possibility of developing a sustainable branding strategy to give Moroccan fresh produce an edge in the market. Morocco FoodEx has also requested FAO’s assistance in identifying options to develop a logistics platform for Moroccan fruits and vegetables in Central and Eastern European markets.

Photo credit ©Unsplash/Mari Potter Adam Jones (CC BY 2.0)
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