Morocco’s watermelon exports to European markets — particularly France, Spain, and the United Kingdom — have seen a remarkable surge over the past decade, despite the climatic challenges posed by seven consecutive years of drought in the Kingdom.
Recent statistics, reported by the Spanish platform Horto Info and based on data from the United Nations international statistics database COMTRADE, reveal the Kingdom’s transformation into a key player in this agricultural sector, now described as an emerging exporter of watermelons to Europe.
According to the same source, between 2015 and 2024, France’s imports of Moroccan watermelons increased by 155.08%, placing Morocco second among its suppliers, after Spain, whose imports grew by only 4.87% over the same period.
In 2024 alone, France imported 61.13 million kilograms of Moroccan watermelon, compared to 99.98 million kilograms from Spain and 19.45 million kilograms from Italy — reflecting the Kingdom’s growing position in a highly competitive European market.
The trend is not limited to France. According to the statistics, the United Kingdom imported 9.94 million kilograms of Moroccan watermelon last year, making Morocco the fourth-largest supplier to the British market after Spain, Brazil, and Costa Rica.
In a notable twist, Spain — one of Europe’s largest watermelon exporters — itself imported 28.7 million kilograms from Morocco in 2024, making Rabat its largest supplier of the product, ahead of Senegal, Mauritania, and Brazil.
These figures emerge against a challenging climate backdrop, with Morocco facing severe pressure on its water resources due to consecutive drought years. This raises questions about the sustainability of watermelon cultivation, known for its high water consumption, in several regions of the country.
Many Moroccan agricultural experts and stakeholders have previously called for a change in the country’s agricultural policy, urging the development of production methods — including the adoption of drip irrigation techniques and expansion in areas with less water stress — measures that could help strengthen export capacity, alongside the growing role of logistical infrastructure.
