While Morocco is not a major player in banana production or export, locally grown bananas still dominate the Moroccan market. According to a report by EastFruit, a marketing statistics website, the export value of Moroccan bananas, including plantains, is estimated at $31,000.

In 2023, Morocco experienced a significant slump in banana imports, but it managed to restore its banana imports after a challenging year in 2022. During 2023, Morocco imported more bananas in August than it did throughout the entire year of 2022. The global trade of bananas faced a severe crisis in 2022 due to natural disasters, adverse weather conditions, and the chaotic geopolitical aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Although Morocco is not a major producer or exporter of bananas, it annually produces up to 350,000 tons of bananas. Additionally, the country imports between 22,000 and 28,000 tons of bananas from Latin American countries and islands in the Atlantic Ocean. In 2023 alone, Morocco imported 23,000 tons of bananas, marking a 33% increase compared to the entire year 2022.

The decline in banana imports to Morocco in 2022 was primarily due to a sharp drop in supplies from Ecuador, which plummeted by more than 40%. Ecuador and other Latin American countries faced unfavorable weather conditions that increased the cost of banana cultivation and post-harvest handling.

To address the shortage of bananas from Latin America, Morocco turned to other sources. During the period from January to October 2023, Morocco imported fruits from Portugal (1.6 tons) and Spain (5.2 tons).

Morocco’s banana production peaked in 1979, when the country produced 2,000 metric tons. By 2017, Morocco had increased its production to 333,619 metric tons, demonstrating a steady average annual growth rate of 7.13%. The main banana harvest typically occurs during the dry season, from November to February, although bananas are harvested throughout the year based on environmental conditions.