Morocco has overtaken Kenya as Africa’s leading avocado exporter, nearly doubling shipments within a year as it eyes supermarket shelves in the United States and the United Kingdom.
According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, Morocco’s avocado exports surged from 73,848 tonnes in 2024 to 141,046 tonnes in 2025, cementing its position as the continent’s top supplier.
The annual review of major tropical fruits shows Kenya’s exports fell 19% over the same period, from 129,706 tonnes to 105,164 tonnes.
Data from Morocco’s Agriculture Ministry, published in April 2025, indicates a 40% expansion in harvested area between 2022 and 2024, underscoring Rabat’s aggressive push into high-value horticulture. Roughly 90% of shipments in the first nine months of 2025 were destined for European Union markets.
The FAO linked Kenya’s decline and wider export slumps across sub-Saharan Africa to logistical disruptions stemming from the Red Sea crisis. Attacks on commercial vessels by Yemen’s Houthi rebels forced shipping lines to reroute away from the Suez Canal, extending transit times to Europe.
“Export potential was constrained by a near doubling of transit times to Europe due to the Red Sea crisis and the resulting surge in shipping costs,” the report said.
Climate questions shadow Morocco’s irrigation-led growth
The United States Department of Agriculture attributed Morocco’s bumper performance in part to favourable weather during the growing season.
Yet questions remain over sustainability as critics note Morocco’s heavy reliance on irrigation and off-season production amid prolonged drought.
In January, Water Minister Nizar Baraka declared an end to the country’s seven-year dry spell following abundant winter rainfall, though climate experts warn that erratic storms and flooding point to intensifying extremes rather than lasting relief.
With Europe still absorbing the bulk of exports, Morocco’s next test will be cracking premium markets in North America and Britain.
