05-02-2025
Morocco's Coffee Import Costs Spike by 74% Amid Rising Global Prices
Rabat - Morocco's coffee import costs saw a sharp rise last year, increasing by around 74% due to higher global prices.
According to data from the Foreign Exchange Office's monthly report, the country spent MAD 2.6 billion on coffee imports in 2024, compared to MAD 1.5 billion in 2023.
The quantity of imported coffee also increased from 47,000 tons to 58,000 tons, the report added.
The country mainly imports two types of coffee; Robusta and Arabica. Robusta, which is cheaper, is the most consumed type in Morocco, making up 80% of total imports.
Robusta coffee represents between 40 and 45% of global coffee production.
Meanwhile, the more expensive Arabica, which constitutes most of the remainder, accounts for 20% of Morocco's total coffee imports.
Morocco imports green coffee beans (before roasting) from Brazil, Colombia, and Costa Rica in Latin America, as well as Vietnam and Indonesia in Asia.
The country also buys coffee from Uganda, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, and Guinea. Meanwhile, roasted coffee is mainly imported from Spain and Italy.
Coffee prices hit their highest levels in international markets at the end of last year. The rise in prices was attributed to poor harvests in major coffee-producing countries, which affected prices in importing countries like Morocco.
Coffee traders expect crops to further shrink after Brazil and Vietnam, the world's two largest coffee producers, were hit by bad weather.
Despite the high imports, coffee consumption in Morocco remains low, with the average person consuming less than one kilogram per year (0.8 kg), according to Mohamed Astayeb, president of the Moroccan Association of Tea and Coffee Manufacturers.
