Cherries market in Northern Africa

Earlier Report Observations

The cherry market in Northern Africa saw considerable movement from 2018 to 2020. Market volume rose 28% to 38,100 t in 2019, fueled by a jump in domestic production to 36,293 t. This was followed by a 26% contraction in 2020, pulling the market down to 28,035 t as production fell.

In the following years, the market stabilized around 31,000 t. Production recovered and imports varied, while export levels stayed negligible. By 2024, import volumes increased to 2,527 t. During this period, global factors such as extreme weather in major growing regions and strong Chilean export flows to China influenced worldwide supply and competition, indirectly shaping trade dynamics for Northern Africa.

Production cherries in Northern Africa

In kind, 2017-2020, t

Top producers of cherries, 2017-2020

World map of production of cherries, 2017-2020

Cherry production in Northern Africa declined after two consecutive years of growth. In 2019, production reached its peak at 36,293 tonnes, representing a 34.3% increase from the previous year. However, by 2020, production had fallen to 26,507 tonnes, marking a significant 27.0% decrease compared to 2019.

Annual dynamics of production in Northern Africa in kind, 2017-2020, t

Exports cherries from Northern Africa

Exports in kind, t

Cherry exports from Northern Africa showed considerable volatility between 2017 and 2020. The lowest export volume was recorded in 2020 at just 8 tonnes, which was 60.9% lower than in 2019. The largest decline occurred in 2018, with a 66.3% drop. In contrast, exports rebounded in 2019 with a 28.7% increase. Overall, exports varied dramatically, with a 5.9-fold difference between the peak in 2017 and the trough in 2020.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Northern Africa in kind, 2017-2020, t

From 2017 to 2020, the main destinations for Northern Africa's cherry exports in volume terms were Senegal (22.1% of total exports), Kuwait (20.1%), and Kenya (14.4%). Together, these three countries accounted for 56.6% of all cherry exports from the region during this period.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Northern Africa in kind, 2017-2020

Exports in value, K $ US

The value of cherry exports from Northern Africa experienced significant changes from 2017 to 2020. In 2018, exports saw the largest decline, falling by 53.7%. However, they rebounded strongly in 2019 with a 49.1% increase. By 2020, export value had dropped to 42,000 US dollars, which was 41.3% lower than in 2019. Over the entire four-year period, exports decreased by 59.5%, with an average annual decline of 26.0%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Northern Africa in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

Between 2017 and 2020, the leading markets for Northern Africa's cherry exports in value terms were Kuwait (23.1% of total export value), Qatar (19.6%), and Kenya (18.6%). These three countries collectively represented 61.4% of the region's total cherry export revenue during this timeframe.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Northern Africa in value, 2017-2020

Imports cherries to Northern Africa

Imports in kind, t

Cherry imports into Northern Africa showed notable fluctuations from 2017 to 2020. The lowest import volume was recorded in 2017, while the highest occurred in 2018 at 2,666 tonnes. In 2019, imports fell sharply by 31.5%, and by 2020 they had decreased further to 1,536 tonnes, down 15.9% from the previous year. The most significant increase was in 2018, with imports surging by 161.6%. Overall, there was a 2.6-fold difference between the peak in 2018 and the trough in 2017.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Northern Africa in kind, 2017-2020, t

From 2017 to 2020, Syria was the dominant supplier of cherries to Northern Africa, accounting for 77.2% of total imports in volume terms. The remaining imports were distributed among various other countries.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Northern Africa in kind, 2017-2020

Imports in value, K $ US

The value of cherry imports into Northern Africa exhibited substantial volatility between 2017 and 2020. The lowest import value was in 2017, while the peak occurred in 2019 at 8,158,000 US dollars. In 2020, import value fell to 5,844,000 US dollars, representing a sharp 28.4% decline from the previous year. The most dramatic increase was in 2019, with import value jumping by 150.0%. Overall, there was a 5.6-fold gap between the highest and lowest values during this period.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Northern Africa in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

During the 2017–2020 period, Syria accounted for 70.0% of Northern Africa's total cherry import value. The remaining 30.0% was spread across a diverse group of smaller supplier countries.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Northern Africa in value, 2017-2020