The Moroccan company agreed during the visit last week to test pineapples from Benin and Togo and, if the tests are a success, to sign a regular commercial contract with national suppliers.
Further sweetening a possible deal, Royal Air Morocco and its partners are offering preferential rates for pineapple exports from Benin and Togo, countries which are already due to benefit from the Moroccan Government’s decision to reduce custom duties for least developing countries (LDCs).
The mission, comprising representatives of pineapple supplier institutions from Benin and Togo, traveled to Morocco October 10-14. The visit was organized by ITC in partnership with the
Beninese Agency for the Promotion of Trade (ABePEC) and the Chamber of Agriculture of Togo.
Its aim was to gather information on market access conditions, identify business opportunities for Beninese and Togolese pineapples in the Morocco market, and facilitate the creation of new business partnerships between Beninese and Togolese pineapple exporters and Moroccan fruit importers.
The trade mission is part of a wider ITC project to increase the participation of SMEs from a selection of African countries in South-South trade and cooperation, with particular focus on the pineapple sector. The project puts special emphasis on supporting women business enterprises (WBEs).