As Morocco Battles Drought, Avocado Exports to Canada Reach Record High

Morocco World

a day ago

Rabat – While Morocco faces its worst drought in decades, the country has exported a record 1,180 tons of avocados, a water-intensive crop, to Canada this season.
According to EastFruit, citing official data from Statistics Canada and Global Trade Tracker, Morocco exported 1.18 thousand tons of avocados to Canada during the first 10 months of the 2024/25 marketing year (July–June), valued at $3.7 million.
This is a big jump compared to previous years, when Moroccan avocado exports to Canada never exceeded 70 tons.
Shipments started in December 2024 and peaked in January and February 2025, with over 400 tons exported each of those months. By January, Morocco became Canada's second-largest avocado supplier, behind only Mexico. In February and March, it remained among the top three, alongside Mexico and Colombia.
Mexico still dominates the Canadian avocado market, supplying over 93% of all imports. But this season, Mexico faced serious challenges. Heavy rain during the summer of 2024 damaged avocado crops, causing production to drop by 20%.
At the same time, new US trade threats under President Donald Trump, including the possibility of 25% tariffs on Mexican goods, created uncertainty. Even though the tariffs were never applied, the increased customs checks caused delays and discouraged Canadian buyers.
Because of these issues, Mexico sent about 2,500 tons fewer avocados to Canada between December and March, compared to the same period the year before. This created a supply gap in the Canadian market, and Morocco stepped in to help fill it.
This record avocado export season comes at a time when Morocco is facing one of the most severe water crises in its history. The country has experienced five consecutive years of drought, with rainfall dropping nearly 53% below the 30-year average. Rivers and reservoirs have shrunk, crops have withered, and rural communities have been hit hardest.
Because of this crisis, King Mohammed VI called on Moroccans to refrain from performing the traditional animal sacrifice for Eid Al Adha, one of the most important Islamic holidays.
The King's decision came in light of the drastic drop in livestock numbers, the rising cost of feed, and the scarcity of water. Livestock herds had already declined by nearly 40% since 2016 due to poor pasture conditions and lack of rainfall.
Avocados are known to be a water-intensive crop, as they require large amounts of water to grow. This has raised concerns about the sustainability of expanding avocado farming while Morocco struggles with water shortages.