USDA launches agribusiness trade mission to Morocco

A delegation of 26 U.S. agribusinesses, 21 leaders of cooperatives, and 14 state agriculture departments will meet directly with Moroccan and West African buyers to explore the latest consumer food trends, assess market demand, and increase access to key regional markets. The trade mission underscores U.S. commitment to advancing agricultural exports and fostering long-term business relationships in the region. Morocco’s infrastructure investments, particularly in roads and ports, position it as a regional trade hub, benefiting U.S. exporters and food manufacturers across Africa.

“This mission offers a crucial opportunity for U.S. agribusinesses to enter into Morocco’s dynamic market and leverage its strategic position for wider African access,” explained Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator Daniel Whitley, who will lead the mission. “We are dedicated to facilitating these vital connections and expanding U.S. agricultural exports.”

U.S. Ambassador to Morocco Puneet Talwar added, “The U.S. agribusiness trade mission to Morocco reflects the strong partnership between our nations, emphasizing innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity in agriculture.” He stressed that “by fostering trade and collaboration, we aim to advance food security, address shared challenges like climate change, and highlight the vital role of women in transforming agriculture globally.”

Throughout the mission, U.S. company representatives will engage in business-to-business meetings with potential buyers from Morocco and other West African countries including Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, and Senegal. They will meet with officials from the Moroccan Ministry of Agriculture, the Moroccan Farmers Association (COMADER), the Institut de Fromation de L’Industrie Menuniere (IFIM), and the National Animal Husbandry Training Center (Zoopole). They will also have roundtable meetings with key women agricultural leaders and with Moroccans who have participated in past USDA fellowship programs.

Morocco is the second-largest export market for U.S. agriculture in Africa. U.S. sales of farm and food products to the country topped $619 million last year, representing 16% of U.S. exports to the continent. American agricultural exports to Morocco have doubled since the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement entered into force in 2006.

“The country is already a major importer of bulk and intermediate commodities from the United States and its expanding food processing sector and rising consumer demand are creating new potential for sales of consumer-oriented products,” USDA noted.

U.S. exporters have opportunities in numerous sectors, including beef, dairy, feed grains, live animals and genetics, rice, seafood, seed potatoes, soybeans, and tree nuts.

U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Africa Representative Matt Copeland, who is participating in the trade mission, noted that efforts in Morocco could trigger expansion in other countries in the region.

Made possible through USDA's new Regional Agricultural Promotion Program, funding that helps red meat exports gain access to emerging markets, Copeland said the trade mission helps identify key partners in order to solve some of the technical issues along the supply chain before they necessarily have to navigate all of the pricing mechanics.