Morocco’s ware potato imports hit record levels (MY 2025/26) • EastFruit

Morocco’s ware potato market underwent extraordinary disruption in MY 2025/26, forcing the country to import record volumes to offset domestic shortages. Imports of fresh ware potatoes reached more than 12,000 tons between July 2025 and June 2026, according to EastFruit. This figure is 50% larger than Morocco’s cumulative imports over the previous five years and 2.4 times higher than the previous record set in MY 2008/09.

The surge was triggered by severe flooding in January-February 2026 across northern production zones, particularly the Loukkos basin. Ware potato fields were inundated, and many farms lost their harvest entirely. With domestic supply collapsing, imports began to rise sharply in March and peaked in April and May, which together accounted for nearly 80 percent of the year’s total.

European suppliers dominated Morocco’s import mix. The Netherlands provided more than half of the shipments, France nearly one‑third, and Belgium the remainder. The timing was critical: Europe was facing a glut of old‑crop ware potatoes and collapsing prices. Dutch surpluses were estimated at 500,000 tons, with free‑market potatoes trading at negative values. Belgian potatoes were priced near zero, while French producer prices in April were more than 20 percent below the previous year.

This unusual combination of factors – domestic shortages and European oversupply – created ideal conditions for trade. Moroccan importers were able to stabilize the local market with cheap European ware potatoes, while European exporters secured an outlet for their excess stocks.

The episode underscores the vulnerability of Morocco’s potato sector to climate shocks. After years of drought, the country faced the opposite problem in 2026: excessive rainfall and flooding. The result was a temporary but severe imbalance in supply, soaring domestic prices, and reliance on imports to bridge the gap until new harvests arrived in May.