Morocco hits record high tomato export numbers to Ireland
Tomatoes in a market in Casablanca (via Reuters)
Morocco has set a new record for tomato export to Ireland, according to EastFruit on November 19th. The volume of tomatoes was said to be double the amount from last year, with 3,400 tonnes being exported between October 2024 and August 2025, worth US $7.5 million.
Tomatoes have been Morocco’s leading export in the fruit and vegetable sector, and although Ireland does not take up a sizable amount of Morocco’s export market, it is fast-growing.
Morocco has held fourth place since 2022 in Ireland’s tomato imports, but hit a record 10% this season, making it closer to overtaking key competitors. The UK which is a net importer of tomatoes, including those imported from Morocco, used to re-export to Ireland. But with Brexit, Ireland has directly imported from Morocco and reduced imports from the UK as well.Â
As for the UK, it accounts for 18% of Morocco’s tomato exports. Morocco’s lemon exports to the UK have surged too, with shipments having multiplied by around fortyfold reaching a record 1,200 tonnes.
Morocco has overtaken Spain to become the third largest exporter of tomatoes in the world, according to UN COMTRADE data, with Mexico and the Netherlands beating the North African country. The report showed a sharp increase from 2005, when Morocco exported 217,000 tons, to exporting 767,000 tons in 2024.
Morocco’s exports of tomatoes have generated about €1.066 billion (about US$1.15 billion) in revenue, an almost tenfold increase from 2005.Â
Morocco is currently the European Union’s largest trade partner in the Middle East and Africa combined. The EU reported that 67.7% of Morocco’s exports went to the EU in 2024, of which vegetable exports accounted for 11.8% (€3 billion).
A report by Moroccan government-friendly Hespress argues that despite droughts, Morocco is positioning itself as a “regional food-security power,” due to fruit and vegetable exports. Morocco’s growing export volumes could strengthen its geopolitical standing and economic leverage.
EastFruit, FruitNet, HortiDaily, EU, Hespress, Maghrebi.org
Want to chase the pulse of North Africa?
Subscribe to receive our FREE weekly PDF magazine
