Storms hit Moroccan blueberry industry with volumes and sizing both affected

Morocco’s blueberry growers are counting the costs after powerful storms hit the south-western Souss-Massa region during February 26 and 27, severely affecting areas such as Chtouka Ait Baha, which is home to much of the nation’s fresh fruit and vegetable sector.

Winds of up to 110 kilometers per hour and flooding across the province caused damage to greenhouses in a region which has been pummeled by nine storms since January 16. Industry estimates from the International Blueberry Organization (IBO) indicate that blueberry volumes could be down by between 15-25% to week 9, including as high as 50% in some instances.

IBO president Mario Steta, who also heads up Driscoll’s EMEA operations, said the storm occurred during a 2025-26 season already plagued by problems brought about by successive weather events, which have also affected Spain and Portugal.

He said: “The amount of rain that fell hasn’t been seen in decades. The storms that have passed over Portugal, Spain and Morocco have resulted in flooding, much lower temperatures, and extremely low levels of light.”

The result, Steta continued, was a series of impacts for the Moroccan blueberry industry with fruit volumes affected, serious damage to infrastructure, and growers unable to visit their fields for several days. “There is an estimate that volumes could be affected by between 15-25% to week 9,” he said, adding that according to Moroccan customs data, blueberry exports had already fallen by more than 50% in January.

“The estimate we had for the calendar year was 95,000 kilos, an increase of 13% versus 2025. Last year, up to week 9 they had harvested 21,000 kilos; this year, what we are seeing is up to week 9 they have only harvested around 15,000 kilos,” Steta said.

The low light and temperatures has also affected fruit sizing, resulting in smaller blueberries, which Steta fears could hit prices and returns for growers.

Greg Murdoch, general manager of premium blueberry grower African Blue, which operates farms in the coastal region of Moulay Bousselham and in Agadir in the south of Morocco, said the company’s business had escaped relatively well, despite the severity of the storms. However, he estimated that the impact for the industry as a whole could be significant.

Murdoch said: “As an industry, I expect we’ll see more than a 20% reduction in export volumes from the north. Based on the damage I’ve seen at some sites, losses could exceed 50% in certain individual cases.

“When I look at some of the smaller growers, I’m not sure how they’ll recover given the level of capital investment required for repairs.”

Separately, Murdoch said a recent windstorm in Agadir appeared to have caused significant damage for a number of growers. “From what I’ve seen, the impact could be substantial,” he continued. “Fortunately, our African Bue sites experienced only relatively minor damage to some plastic, although I have seen entire structures brought down elsewhere.”

Colin Fair, chief executive of market data intelligence specialist Agronometrics, said there was a very mixed picture with some growers significantly affected, while others had emerged with no major impacts.

He said: “In Morocco, there is a lot of new planting and excitement over the category’s potential. Storms aside, there was significant growth in the pipeline, especially for newer higher performing genetics. The storms have clearly disrupted production, but it isn’t affecting everyone evenly. So depending on their production region, some companies are still growing considerably, while others are seeing a significant reduction in real production despite growth expectations.”

According to Moroccan news outlet BarlamanToday, the Souss-Massa region is responsible for close to 85% of the country’s fruit and vegetable exports, with over 24,000 hectares of greenhouse-based production, amounting to more than 2 million tons each year.

03-06-2026
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