Moroccan citrus cooperative eyes stronger trade ties in Southeast Asia
Decades of experience and recent export wins push M’Brouka to expand further into Singapore and Malaysia.
MOROCCO – Cooperative M’Brouka, one of Morocco’s longest-standing citrus exporters, is setting its sights firmly on Southeast Asia as it prepares to introduce its fruits to new buyers during a trade mission scheduled for April 22–25 in Singapore and Malaysia.
The trade visit, backed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), offers M’Brouka a platform to strengthen ties with importers and showcase Moroccan citrus, especially its popular mandarins.
Established in 1967, M’Brouka has nearly six decades of farming and export experience. It operates from the Souss-Massa region, a fertile part of southern Morocco known for its ideal citrus-growing conditions.
Over time, M’Brouka has built a reputation for reliable shipments and consistent fruit quality, with its mandarins and oranges regularly reaching Europe, Russia, and more recently, parts of Asia.
“We’ve worked hard to maintain standards that international buyers trust,” said a representative of the cooperative. “Our members take pride in every box we ship.”
Gaining ground in Singapore and Malaysia
While M’Brouka is still relatively new in the Southeast Asian market, it has already shipped mandarins to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in past seasons. Importers have responded well, citing the fruit’s taste, size, and shelf life as key advantages.
“Exporting to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur has proven that our citrus meets the high standards of ASEAN customers,” a representative from the cooperative noted.
Moroccan citrus is gaining traction in the region. In recent years, Morocco exported several hundred tons of mandarins to Malaysia and surrounding countries.
M’Brouka is among the few players already active in this space, making it easier for them to build on earlier efforts.
The cooperative has already cleared regulatory processes, formed delivery partnerships, and tested its packaging formats with local preferences in mind.
Watermelon season picking up
Beyond citrus, Morocco is also making waves with its watermelon crop. Ahmed Bouljid, a Moroccan exporter, says this season looks promising after several years of low output caused by drought and disease.
“Growers are learning from the mistakes of past seasons and adapting. I don’t think there will be widespread disease problems like the downy mildew and viruses we’ve seen lately,” said Bouljid. “The climate conditions are also good this season, with enough rain and sunshine.”
According to Bouljid, production has started in a few regions, but the bulk of volumes will come from places like Zagora and Mhamid Elghizlane in the coming weeks, followed by Agadir, Marrakech, and other key farming zones. He expects yields to reach up to 75 tonnes per hectare, with fruit sizes averaging over 9kg.
“This year’s watermelons will be wonderful, and that’s good news for watermelon enthusiasts on the local and export markets,” he added.
As Morocco’s fruit exporters push forward with experience and determination, Southeast Asia looks set to become an even more important part of their market mix.
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