The soft fruit season in Morocco is underway with several products currently available: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. The marketing outlook is fairly satisfying, rewarding for a difficult planting period, according to Sofia Rbei, CEO of Afripick.
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The grower describes a difficult situation on the farms: "We grow various products in the berry category at different locations across Morocco's two main seasons: the southern season in Agadir and the northern season in Larache. For all products and all locations, the planting period has been difficult.
We faced a tough summer due to heat waves, which delayed plant development and subsequently delayed peak harvests for all products. This was accompanied by plant mortality in nurseries and consequent complications during planting. The phytosanitary situation is also tricky, as a number of effective chemicals have been removed from the lists of authorized pesticides in Morocco and Europe. Furthermore, we continue to deal with labor shortages," Rbei continues.
This situation ultimately led to a delay of more than a month in the peak harvest time, particularly for raspberries and blueberries. However, the economic impact is not significant, with a healthy market in Europe and Russia, according to the grower.
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Sofia Rbei (left) with Afripick's team at the Morocco Berry Conference 2025
"Moroccan growers are more than ever faced with the need for varietal development," Rbei proclaims. She adds that successive trials have enabled Afripick to achieve promising results this season: "We have always devoted part of our acreage to trials. We are pleased to announce that we have tested new varieties of raspberries and blueberries this season, which have yielded very good results. First of all, these varieties are more resistant to heat and disease, which is essential given the climatic challenges facing our country. Newly introduced raspberry varieties have specifically shown earlier ripening and less labor intensity. Commercially, we found that they have been well received in the market."
"We have shared our results with fellow growers and encouraged them to take risks and be innovative. I believe that continuous variety development is key to Morocco's competitiveness in the soft fruit industry, and that without it, our competitiveness will be called into question. Soft growers in Morocco work extremely hard and demonstrate great resilience and professionalism, as well as a rigorous approach to complying with the norms and standards of their destination markets. This has enabled our country to become one of the leading soft fruit origins globally, and we continue to progress with significant volumes and consistently high and honourable quality. Varietal development is the bond that cements these achievements," the grower affirms.
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Rbei concludes that another key factor in adapting to climate change in Morocco is the complementarity between the southern and northern regions, while focusing on precocity to ensure a regular supply spread throughout the season.
For more information:
Sofia Rbei
Afripick
Tel: +212 661271929 / +34 662 535 569
Email: [email protected]
www.afripick.com
