Early Moroccan exports up 41 per cent

Exports of early fruits and vegetables from Morocco had reached 181,000 tonnes by December 16, a 41 per cent rise on the 128,000t exported to the same date last year, said the north African country’s ministry of agriculture.

According to the Maghreb Arabe Presse, dominant tomato exports skyrocketed 54 per cent compared to last year, to 116,000t, while exports of other fruit and veg dropped by 12 per cent, to 53,000t against 65,000 in the same period in 2006.

However, the ministry expects a 13 per cent decrease in terms of the full crop year export figure, due mainly to a four per cent fall in citrus productionyear on year.