Importing Hass avocados from Morocco: a 7-step buyer's guide
5 min read
Variety, maturity, size, temperature, ripening, documents, contract: the 7 steps to buy Moroccan Hass avocados without surprises, with figures for the 2026-2027 season.
vetafresh team
In 2025, Morocco became Africa's leading avocado exporter. For a European importer, it is a nearby origin, about 72 hours away by truck, with a real window in early winter. Here are the 7 steps to buy Moroccan Hass avocados on the right terms.
In short
- When to buy: the Moroccan season runs from mid-September to April; the best window for Hass is early November to late December (weeks 45 to 51).
- What maturity: 21% minimum dry matter under the UNECE standard; many buyers ask for 23%.
- What size: sizes 16 and 18 (16 or 18 fruits per 4 kg carton) are the most requested for Hass.
- What temperature: 5 to 7 °C for firm fruit, with no ethylene-producing products in the load.
Why Morocco
Why buy avocados from Morocco?
Morocco exported 112,000 tonnes of avocados in the 2024-2025 season, according to EastFruit, and supplied 10% of the EU's extra-EU avocado imports in 2025, according to Eurostat. The orchards lie on the Atlantic coast between Larache and Kénitra. About 72% of production is Hass. The UK took 7% of Moroccan exports in 2024-2025.
Its advantage is timing. Between the end of Peruvian fruit in Europe, around mid-October, and the heavy arrival of Israeli and Spanish fruit in January, Moroccan Hass has room to sell. Output is irregular: in 2025-2026, heat cut the crop by half and exports fell to about 58,000 tonnes. Operators expect 100,000 to 110,000 tonnes in 2026-2027.
The method
Importing Hass avocados from Morocco in 7 steps
- Choose the variety and the week: Hass for most markets; green-skin varieties (Fuerte, Zutano, Bacon) only have a few weeks early in the season. Plan Hass for weeks 45 to 51.
- Set the maturity: write the minimum dry matter into the contract, at least 21% for Hass, often 23%.
- Set the sizes: a range of codes, for example 16 to 20. The code is the number of fruits per 4 kg carton; Hass must weigh at least 80 g.
- Set the class: Extra, I or II. Tolerances are 5% in Extra, 10% in Classes I and II, and 10% on size.
- Set the temperature: 5 to 7 °C for firm fruit, with a data logger. No loading with ethylene-producing products.
- Plan the ripening: in a ripening room, at 20 °C with ethylene for 48 hours early in the season; fruit is ready in 3 to 6 days.
- Require the documents: phytosanitary certificate, pesticide residue report, temperature record, and a lot number on every pallet.
The calendar
Morocco against other origins
| Origin | On the European market |
|---|---|
| Peru | Until mid-October |
| Chile, Colombia | Weeks 40 to 45 |
| Morocco | Mid-September to April, Hass from late October |
| Spain | Hass from week 46, peak January to April |
| Israel | Weeks 51 to 12 |
The heaviest overlap is in January and February. Source: operators quoted by FreshPlaza, September and October 2026.
Our view. Moroccan avocados work best as a programme, not a one-off purchase: book weekly volumes before the season, write down the dry matter and the size range, and keep a back-up origin in case of a weak year. Our avocado line is opening: varieties, windows and volumes are confirmed each season in the quote.
The vetafresh team, Agadir
Avoid
Common mistakes
- Buying without a minimum dry matter written into the contract.
- Concentrating Moroccan volumes in January and February.
- Loading avocados with ethylene-producing products.
- Accepting or rejecting a lot before ripening: chilling injury shows up later.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does Morocco export avocados?
Yes. Morocco exported 112,000 tonnes of avocados in 2024-2025 and was Africa's leading exporter in 2025. Spain, France and the Netherlands take more than 80% of the volume.
When is the Moroccan Hass avocado season?
Hass ships from late October and the season runs until April. The best commercial window is early November to late December.
What dry matter should I ask for in Hass avocados?
21% minimum under the UNECE standard. Many European buyers ask for 23%.
At what temperature should avocados be shipped?
5 to 7 °C for firm Hass avocados, with 90 to 95% relative humidity. At 3 to 5 °C for more than two weeks, the flesh turns brown.
How do I find an avocado supplier in Morocco?
Check the growing region, the packhouse certifications (GlobalG.A.P.), the pesticide residue report and the ability to hold a dry matter level and a size range. vetafresh, a fruit and vegetable exporter based in Agadir, is opening its avocado line and confirms varieties and volumes each season.
Sources: FAO via FreshPlaza, African avocado exports 2025, 3 February 2026; EastFruit, 2024-2025 exports, 23 December 2025; Eurostat via FreshPlaza, EU imports, 28 August 2026; Médias24, 2025-2026 season, 25 March 2026; FreshPlaza, global avocado market, 2 October 2026, and early-season window, 11 September 2026; UNECE, FFV-42 standard; CBI, exporting avocados to Europe; UC Davis Postharvest, avocado.
Read more: Moroccan avocado exports: volumes, markets and calendar and our Moroccan avocado guide.
Planning your 2026-2027 avocado programme? Ask us for a quote with the variety, dry matter, sizes, weekly volumes and delivery point.
