Mexico and Morocco to Strengthen Ties in the Agri-food Sector
Home > Agribusiness & Food > Article

Mexico and Morocco to Strengthen Ties in the Agri-food Sector

Photo by:   SADER - Mexican government portal
Share it!
Eliza Galeana By Eliza Galeana | Junior Journalist & Industry Analyst - Mon, 09/26/2022 - 13:38

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER), Victor Villalobos, and Morocco’s ambassador to Mexico, Abdelfattah Lebbar, held a workshop focused on identifying opportunities for cooperation in the agrifood sector between both countries. During the meeting, they agreed to promote scientific-technological collaboration for avocado and date crops, as well as protected agriculture projects and tech-based irrigation systems.

The officials addressed the possibility of further expanding the commercial relations between Mexico and Morocco with products such as coffee, sugar, guava, beef and fertilizers. They agreed to visit beef refrigeration facilities of nationally-certified companies as well as coffee production areas to boost the trade of both products. 

Furthermore, Villalobos pointed out that arrangements will be made to hold meetings with producers of avocados, beef and fertilizers, to expand their sales to the Moroccan market. He highlighted that co-investment in protected agriculture projects, irrigation systems and health schemes for products such as avocado, dates, fruit and vegetables are viable to strengthen complementary trade with EU countries, the Middle East and North Africa.

Meanwhile, Lebbar endorsed his country’s interest in boosting agri-food trade with Mexico, since 80 percent of its trade relationships today are held with the EU. He particularly expressed interest in expanding the beef, sugar and coffee trade, due to Mexico’s strong quality standards and international prestige, as well as the production and export of dates from the states of Baja California and Sonora. In return, he would like to promote the sale of phosphate-based fertilizers, of which his country is the globally leading producer. On this matter, the Minister of SADER stated that the supply of Moroccan ammonium phosphate fertilizers will be analyzed since it is likely to benefit Mexican agriculture.

Historically, Morocco and Mexico have enjoyed a 60-year-strong diplomatic bond. The two nations share the common goal to collaborate in a strategic alliance as a way to generate sustainable innovations, technologies and complementary trade that would facilitate production and access to agri-food inputs in order to strengthen global food security. 

In 2021, Mexico’s main exports to Morocco were sugar cane, beet and solid sucrose, resulting in gains of over US$21.9 million. On the other hand, Mexico’s main purchases from Morocco in the same year were mineral and chemical fertilizers made from nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, valued at US$80.4 million. 

Photo by:   SADER - Mexican government portal

You May Like

Most popular

Newsletter