Strengthened strategic positioning in the global market for tangerines and the strain on water reserves
Rabat – Morocco is consolidating its position as one of the world’s leading exporters of citrus fruits. For the 2025/2026 season, the industry forecasts an export volume of around 550,000 tons of tangerines. This means that the kingdom is asserting itself in a highly competitive international environment in which Spain, Turkey, Egypt and South Africa are the main competitors. According to Moroccan daily L’Économiste, clementines and tangerines now account for about 83% of the country’s total citrus exports.
The dilemma of “virtual water export”
However, the economic success of the sector is in direct conflict with the country’s ecological limits. Since citrus fruits require a lot of water, the export strategy is increasingly coming under criticism. Critics point out that with every kilogram of fruit exported, Morocco also takes large quantities of the scarce commodity water out of the country. In a region that is suffering from the consequences of climate change and recurring, sometimes existential, drought periods, the expansion of these cultivated areas is massively increasing the pressure on the already precarious water reserves.
Location advantages and seasonal dynamics
The success of the Moroccan sector continues to be based on high specialization and logistical advantages. The geographical proximity to the European market enables short delivery times and reduces transport costs. Morocco also benefits from a strategically favorable production calendar: through targeted selection of varieties, the fruits are brought onto the market at times when the competition’s supply is limited. With varieties such as the high-quality Nadorcott, Morocco also serves the increasing demand for premium products in Europe.
Climatic risks and pressure to adapt
Production is under enormous pressure. In addition to the general water shortage, weather-related extreme events such as local floods lead to crop failures in growing areas such as Gharb and Loukkos. In order to maintain their market position in the long term, producers are investing more in more efficient irrigation technologies, but the structural challenge remains: To what extent can a growing export sector be compatible with sustainable resource management? In view of global competition and the increasing dependence on traditional markets, the development of new sales regions in Asia or the Middle East is seen as a necessary step in order to secure economic stability – while at the same time hoping for technological solutions to the water shortage.
Source:
maghreb-post.de



