Morocco’s overall spending on imported goods increased by 41.8% over a 5-year period starting with $51.3 billion in 2018.
Year over year, the total value of Moroccan imports accelerated by 23.9% compared to $58.7 billion during 2021.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2022, the Moroccan dirham depreciated by -8.3% against the US dollar since 2018 and diluted by -13% from 2021 to 2022. Morocco’s weaker local currency makes its imports paid for in lower valued Moroccan dirhams relatively more expensive for importers in Morocco.
In addition, Morocco’s inflation rate in terms of average consumer prices was 6.647% in 2022 up from 1.4% for 2021.
Morocco’s Best International Trade Suppliers
The latest available country-specific data shows that 71.2% of products imported into Morocco were furnished by exporters in: Spain (14.1% of the global total), France (10.6%), mainland China (10%), United States of America (7.4%), Saudi Arabia (6.4%), Türkiye (5.2%), Italy (4.5%), Germany (4.1%), Russia (3.1%), United Arab Emirates (2.0%), India (1.9%) and Portugal (1.85%).
From a continental perspective, about half (50.6%) of Morocco’s total imports by value in 2022 was purchased from European countries. Trade partners in Asia supplied 31.8% of imports purchased by Morocco while another 8.7% worth originated from North America.
Smaller percentages came from Latin America (5.3%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, fellow African countries (3.5%), then Oceania (0.2%) led by New Zealand and Australia.
Given Morocco’s population of 36.7 million people, its total $72.7 billion in 2022 imports translates to roughly $2,000 in yearly product demand from every person in the northwest African nation. That per capita dollar amount exceeds the average $1,600 per person one year prior in 2021.
Morocco’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Morocco’s import purchases during 2022. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Morocco.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$15.1 billion (20.7% of total imports)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $6 billion (8.3%)
- Machinery including computers: $5.6 billion (7.8%)
- Vehicles: $5.5 billion (7.5%)
- Cereals: $3.7 billion (5.1%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $3 billion (4.1%)
- Inorganic chemicals: $2.7 billion (3.7%)
- Iron, steel: $2 billion (2.7%)
- Salt, sulphur, stone, cement: $2 billion (2.7%)
- Aircraft, spacecraft: $1.5 billion (2.1%)
Morocco’s top 10 imports accounted for under two-thirds (64.7%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
The fastest growers among top Moroccan imported product categories from 2021 to 2022 were international purchases of inorganic chemicals (up 120.6%), mineral fuels including oil (up 78.6%), salt, sulphur, stone and cement (up 66.2%), then cereals (up 55.3%) notably wheat and corn.
The lone decliner among Morocco’s leading import categories was vehicles due to its -1.4% year-over-year drop.
At the more detailed 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, Morocco’s 10 most valuable imported products in 2022 were refined petroleum oils (13.1% of Moroccan imports), petroleum gases (3.6%), wheat (3.5%), ammonia (2.9%), cars (2.9%), coal including solid fuels made from coal (also 2.9%), automobile parts or accessories (2.7%), non-sublimed sulphur (2.6%), aircraft or spacecraft parts (2%), and insulated wire or cable (2%).
Collectively, the top 10 import products represent almost two-fifths (38.1%) of Moroccan spending on internationally sourced products.
Morocco’s Imported Mineral Fuels Including Oil
In 2022, Moroccan importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.
- Processed petroleum oils: US$9.5 billion (up 88.2% from 2021)
- Petroleum gases: $2.6 billion (up 34%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $2.1 billion (up 116.3%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $399.8 million (up 6.3%)
- Electrical energy: $379.2 million (up 731%)
- Peat: $50.4 million (up 38.8%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $39.8 million (up 155.7%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $7.4 million (up 3.5%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $715,000 (down -26.7%)
- Asphalt/petroleum bitumen mixes: $334,000 (up 29.5%)
Among these import subcategories, Moroccan purchases of electrical energy (up 731%), coke or semi-coke (up 155.7%) then coal including solid fuels made from coal (up 116.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.
These amounts clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported fossil fuels-related products among Moroccan businesses and consumers.
Morocco’s Imported Electrical Products
In 2022, Moroccan importers spent the most on the following subcategories of electrical products including consumer electronics.
- Insulated wire/cable: US$1.4 billion (up 23.2% from 2021)
- Phone devices including smartphones: $947.4 million (down -3%)
- Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $714.9 million (up 63.6%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $543.2 million (down -7.5%)
- Electric circuit parts, fuses, switches: $303.7 million (up 11.5%)
- TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $290.2 million (up 13.8%)
- Integrated circuits/microassemblies: $152.6 million (up 65.5%)
- Electrical converters/power units: $133.5 million (down -6.8%)
- Electrical lighting/signaling equpment, defrosters: $123.9 million (down -5.5%)
- Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $121.6 million (up 9.5%)
Among these import subcategories, Moroccan purchases of electrical integrated circuits and microassemblies (up 65.5%), solar power diodes or semi-conductors (up 63.6%), then insulated wire and cable (up 23.2%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.
These amounts and the percentages within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among Moroccan businesses and consumers.
Morocco’s Imported Machinery Including Computers
In 2022, Moroccan importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery-related products including computers.
- Piston engines: US$758.4 million (up 29.4% from 2021)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $414.2 million (down -25.4%)
- Engines (diesel): $390 million (up 3.1%)
- Computers, optical readers: $345.6 million (up 2.5%)
- Liquid pumps and elevators: $269.8 million (down -6.9%)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $254 million (up 57.1%)
- Refrigerators, freezers: $241 million (down -5.7%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $231.4 million (up 6.6%)
- Turbo-jets: $214.3 million (up 26.9%)
- Air conditioners: $171 million (up 4.3%)
Among these import subcategories, Moroccan purchases of centrifuges, filters and purifiers (up 57.1%), piston engines (up 29.4%) then turbo-jets (up 26.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.
These amounts and the percentages within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among Moroccan businesses and consumers.
Morocco’s Imported Vehicles
In 2022, Moroccan importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles and related products.
- Cars: US$2.1 billion (down -5.1% from 2021)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $2 billion (up 5.9%)
- Trucks: $426.6 million (down -1.7%)
- Automobile bodies: $422.3 million (up 19.8%)
- Tractors: $264.7 million (down -6.8%)
- Motorcycles: $109.3 million (down -33.2%)
- Trailers: $55.8 million (down -18.4%)
- Special purpose vehicles: $34.6 million (down -36.7%)
- Public-transport vehicles: $34.6 million (down -35.4%)
- Motorcycle parts/accessories: $20.3 million (down -11.5%)
Among these import subcategories, Moroccan purchases of automobile bodies (up 19.8%) and automobile parts or accessories (up 5.9%) grew from 2021 to 2022.
These amounts and percentages within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported vehicles among Moroccan businesses and consumers.
See also Morocco’s Top 10 Exports, Spain’s Top Trading Partners, China’s Top Trading Partners, France’s Top Trading Partners and America’s Top Trading Partners
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles. Accessed on May 17, 2023
International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (National Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on May 17, 2023
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 17, 2023
Richest Country Reports, Key Statistics Powering Global Wealth. Accessed on May 17, 2023