Morocco’s exports of phosphates and related products saw a strong start to the year, rising by 18.2% in the first quarter to reach 20.3 billion dirhams, according to figures released by the Foreign Exchange Office. This growth was largely driven by sustained demand for natural and chemical fertilizers, which brought in 14.8 billion dirhams—up nearly 15%. Raw phosphate exports surged by 52.8%, while phosphoric acid shipments climbed 17.2%, totaling 2.01 and 3.5 billion dirhams respectively.
The aerospace sector also posted a solid performance, recording a 15% increase compared to the same period last year. This was fueled primarily by a 17.9% rise in assembly-related exports, which generated 4.54 billion dirhams, and a 10.4% uptick in sales of electrical wiring interconnection systems (EWIS), reaching 2.46 billion dirhams.
Several other industrial segments also contributed to the export momentum. Extractive industries outside the phosphate sector brought in 1.38 billion dirhams, marking a 20.2% increase. Broader industrial activities posted a 16.8% gain, with exports valued at 7.52 billion dirhams. Agriculture and agri-food products saw more modest growth, inching up 0.8% to total 26.74 billion dirhams in overseas sales.
However, not all sectors shared in the upturn. Traditional export industries experienced a slowdown. Electronics and electrical goods dropped by 11.6% to 4.21 billion dirhams. Textiles and leather were down 1.4%, landing at 11.51 billion. Meanwhile, the automotive industry saw exports decline by 7.8%, although it remained the country’s top export sector with a substantial 37.36 billion dirhams in revenue.
