On August 20, 2026, it was reported that Morocco has significantly increased its imports of American almonds, achieving a remarkable 49% surge in a single campaign. The North African nation received close to 40,000 tons of almonds, making it the foremost market for California almond producers in the region. According to the final statistics released by the Almond Board of California, approximately 87.2 million pounds of almonds were shipped to Morocco between August 1, 2025, and July 31, 2026, translating to nearly 39,560 tons. This marks a significant increase from the previous year's shipments, which amounted to 58.6 million pounds or about 26,600 tons, indicating that Morocco has absorbed nearly 13,000 additional tons of American almonds over the course of a year, reflecting a growth rate of 48.7%.
This increase is particularly noteworthy, as American almond exports to global markets only experienced a modest growth of 3% during the same period, rising from 1.975 billion to 2.034 billion pounds. Consequently, Morocco's almond import growth rate is approximately sixteen times greater than that of the global market as a whole. In comparison, other North African markets have lagged significantly behind; for instance, almond shipments to Algeria totaled 17.3 million pounds, while Libya received 7.4 million pounds and Egypt just 2.7 million pounds. Thus, Morocco alone accounts for nearly 76% of all American almonds exported to North Africa during this campaign.
This acceleration in almond imports is part of a long-standing trend. American almonds have gradually established a dominant presence in the Moroccan market, largely due to their competitiveness and the elimination of tariff barriers. The latest figures from California suggest that this reliance on American supplies is continuing to intensify.
As reported by bladi.net.
