Two unlikely countries in north Africa have emerged as the “biggest beneficiaries” of Brexit.
Morocco and Egypt have both seen a significant increase in the value of their exports to the UK.
This is due to UK trade with EU member states becoming increasingly difficult due to complex import protocols and food price inflation.
UK importers have turned their focus to non-EU states, with the share of non-EU imports increasing from 47 percent to 51 percent.
Between 2018 and 2022, imports of Egyptian fresh, dried and frozen fruit and vegetables increased by 150 percent, while for Morocco, the increase was almost 200 percent.
The UK spent £425million on Moroccan fruit and vegetables in 2022 and at least £352million in 2023.
Morocco’s exports to the UK mostly include greenhouse tomatoes, mandarins and berries.
The UK spent £160million last year on Moroccan raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries, £163million on tomatoes and £36million on tangerines.
Morocco also exports sweet peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflowers, watermelons and avocados.
In comparison, imports from European suppliers such as the Netherlands, Belgium, and France experienced a marked decrease, with French imports halving over the same five-year span.
Despite being an EU member, Poland saw an increase its market share in the UK with imports increasing 33 percent over the period. Spain also increased its exports to the UK.
