Signed by the Director General of the National Food Safety Office (ONSSA), Abdellah Janati and Julio Fortes Ramos, Deputy Secretary of Trade and Foreign Affairs of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil, during a ceremony chaired by the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Mohamed Sadiki, and the Brazilian Ambassador to Morocco, Alexandre Guido Lopes Parola, this plan explains the conditions and phytosanitary requirements to be respected by Morocco in terms of exports.
The opening of the Brazilian market to Moroccan citrus fruits constitutes a crucial step for the Kingdom’s citrus industry, noted Mr. Sadiki, highlighting the importance of this decision for Moroccan citrus growers.
He also highlighted the possibilities for cooperation in the field of mechanization, good practices and technologies, thus offering potential for mutual development between Moroccan operators and Brazilian industry.
Recalling the excellent bilateral relations between Morocco and Brazil, the minister highlighted the beneficial nature of this opening for both countries. This initiative is part of a dynamic of opening up the Atlantic space, positioning the Morocco-Brazil axis as an important engine of this economic dynamic, he said.
For his part, Mr. Fortes Ramos described the recent opening of the Brazilian market to Moroccan citrus fruits as a “historic day” in relations between the two countries, noting the importance of cooperation between Morocco and Brazil in the fight against global food insecurity.
He added that relations between Morocco and Brazil are based on mutual trust, making them more solid and durable and allowing them to contribute together to improving global food security.
For his part, Mr. Lopes Parola, expressed his satisfaction at the announcement of the opening of the Brazilian market to Moroccan citrus fruits, specifying that this achievement was the result of a long-term process initiated in 2018, characterized by sustained efforts and fruitful collaboration between the two States.
The favorable outcome of the careful examination carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil for the opening of its market to Moroccan citrus fruits, testifies to the quality and conformity of Moroccan citrus fruits, which represents a crucial step in strengthening the partnership between the two countries, he said.
Furthermore, the Ambassador said he was convinced that this opening of the Brazilian market is an important step in the continued success of the partnership between the two countries, marking the start of a new era of prosperity and growth for both nations.
As a reminder, Brazil is considered a promising market for the export of Moroccan citrus fruits, given their importance for the Brazilian consumer, in addition to the fact that the production of Moroccan citrus fruits takes place outside the production seasons in Brazil. This occasion is therefore considered an important opportunity to increase exports of Moroccan citrus fruits to Latin American countries, particularly Brazil.