Moroccan olive oil exports to Spain surge nearly 10,000% in early 2026
Moroccan olive oil shipments to Spain jumped from 103 to 10,384.7 tonnes between January and April 2026, a rise of almost 10,000% year on year, worth €32.76 million. The gain reflects a recovered Moroccan harvest, but the country still supplies only 7.48% of Spanish imports and remains far behind Spain's own output.
Moroccan olive oil floods into Spain in early 2026
Moroccan olive oil exports to Spain surged in the opening months of 2026. Between January and April, shipments rose from 103 tonnes to 10,384.7 tonnes, an increase of nearly 10,000% year on year, according to bladi.net. In value terms the jump was equally sharp: sales climbed from €340,000 to €32.76 million over the same period.
The gain reflects above all the recovery of Moroccan production after several difficult years marked by drought. National olive oil output for the 2025-2026 season is estimated at about 200,000 tonnes, more than double the previous campaign. Competitive Moroccan prices and trade advantages granted by the European Union also supported the increase.
A limited share of a Spanish-dominated market
Despite the spectacular growth in volumes, Moroccan oil remains a marginal supplier. According to DataComex, the trade database attached to Spain's Ministry of Economy and Trade, Moroccan olive oil accounts for only a small part of Spanish imports. Its share rose to 7.48%, up from 2.01% a year earlier, but that is still far from altering the balance of the Spanish market.
Spain remains a global heavyweight in the sector, with production and export capacity far above Morocco's. A decline of around 9% in Spanish output this season simply opened more room for imports rather than signalling that Moroccan oil is replacing the local product.
Trade flows reverse
At the same time, exchanges moved in the opposite direction. Spanish olive oil exports to Morocco fell sharply over the first four months of the year, dropping from 2,721 tonnes to 673.72 tonnes. Their value also retreated, from €11.11 million to €2.44 million.
Prices help explain the shifting flows. In Spain, recent rains pushed olive oil prices down: extra virgin fell from more than €9,000 per tonne in 2024 to €3,800 per tonne last week, according to bladi.net. Cheaper oil at origin reshapes the calculus for importers weighing Moroccan and Spanish supply.
Tariff backdrop
Trade policy adds another layer. The United States imposes tariffs of 15% on all products originating in the European Union, against 10% for goods from countries outside the bloc, including Morocco. The gap gives Moroccan oil a relative cost advantage in the US market compared with EU-sourced supply.
- Moroccan exports to Spain, January-April 2026: 103 to 10,384.7 tonnes
- Value: €340,000 to €32.76 million
- Moroccan share of Spanish imports: 2.01% to 7.48%
- Spanish exports to Morocco: 2,721 to 673.72 tonnes, €11.11m to €2.44m
For Morocco the breakthrough is a positive but still limited signal. Moroccan olive oil is gaining ground in Spain without becoming, for now, a competitor able to weigh heavily against local production.
