Water problems, labor shortages, and increased government restrictions in Spain have prompted blueberry producers and exporters to seek new production areas, with Morocco—located 1,304 kilometers away—being one of the countries that has grown the most in recent years.
This was explained by Sebastián Ochoa, director of CASM Blueberries and founder of Blueberries News, who pointed out that the tightening of regulations, compared to the rest of the European Union, has created an increasingly complex scenario for producers.
“Spain has imposed many government restrictions, particularly on the use of pesticides. Ultimately, business has become very difficult in Huelva, and producers began to look for other areas, moving to Morocco. That’s where blueberry cultivation really took off,” said Ochoa.
According to the director of CASM Blueberries, Morocco has demonstrated excellent productive adaptation, with fields established in areas such as Dakhla, Agadir, and Kenitra. “The development has been very positive. Early fruit can be produced at reasonable costs and with a wide variety of climates and altitudes, which allows us to work with different varieties and better manage harvest curves,” he explained.
Ochoa pointed out that in Morocco it is possible to start harvesting in January and February, with higher volumes concentrated in March, something that does not happen in Huelva. “Morocco allows for earlier harvesting and a longer harvest season, with greater supply thanks to the availability of land, water, and labor. Today, Morocco is the main production hub for early blueberries in the northern hemisphere for the European and Asian markets,” he said.
Expansion driven by new varieties
As in other producing countries, genetics has been a key factor in the expansion of blueberries in Morocco. According to Ochoa, new varieties have enabled higher yields, better quality, and earlier ripening, meaning that plants reach their productive stage in less time.
“The new varieties allow for earlier harvests, higher yields, and significant improvements in quality, considering size, firmness, flavor, crunchiness, appearance, and post-harvest life. This phenomenon is observed globally, and Morocco has been no exception; today, it is growing the same new varieties as countries such as Peru,” he said.
Regarding water use, Ochoa explained that availability varies depending on the area. “There are regions with good water supplies and others that depend on wells. There are even projects that use seawater. In Dakhla, water is extracted from confined aquifers, which means that at some point this resource will be depleted, while in Kenitra there is greater availability thanks to rainfall,” he explained.
Looking ahead, Ochoa is clear: Morocco will continue to grow. “Our customers continue to plant, and with the problems facing Spain, more and more companies will move their production to Morocco, concentrating their operations there. Producing in Spain is much more expensive and involves serious labor difficulties, while Morocco offers proximity, lower costs, and better production conditions,” he concluded.
