Moroccan textile exports hit new record, professionals seek action on upstream

Morocco’s textile industry has outperformed pre-pandemic levels hitting 3.26 billion dollars in exports up to November this year according to foreign exchange data, but professionals warn of the heavy dependence of Moroccan textile sector on imported material.

For decades, Morocco is in the top 10 list of suppliers of the European market and takes the second position as the largest textile exporter in the Mediterranean region.

The sector has some 1600 companies employing 200,000 people, making it one of the largest job providing sectors in the country.

However, reliance on imported goods for textile production exposes the sector to supply chain disruptions and high prices in the international market which prevents the sector from taking advantage of the free trade deals and their strict rules of origin standards.

“There is an urgent need to invest in reinforcing the upstream capacities of textile in order to bolster local sourcing rate of the sector and hence strengthen its competitiveness,” Anas El Ansari head of the Moroccan textile and clothing association Amith told L’Economist daily.