Morocco’s overall spending on imported goods increased by 38.4% over a 5-year period starting from $51.1 billion in 2019.
Year over year, the total value of Moroccan imports decelerated by -3% compared to $72.8 billion for 2022.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2023, the Moroccan dirham depreciated by -5.3% against the US dollar since 2019 but appreciated by 0.3% from 2022 to 2023. 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 6.137% in 2023 down from 6.641% for 2022.
Morocco’s Best International Trade Suppliers
The latest available country-specific data shows that 72% of products imported into Morocco was furnished by exporters in: Spain (15.7% of the Moroccan total), mainland China (10.62%), France (10.57%), United States of America (8.4%), Türkiye (5.1%), Germany (4.9%), Italy (4.8%), Saudi Arabia (3.3%), Portugal (2.3%), Brazil (2.2%), India (2.1%) and the United Arab Emirates (1.8%).
From a continental perspective, over half (53.2%) of Morocco’s total imports by value in 2023 was purchased from European countries. Trade partners in Asia supplied 29.9% of imports purchased by Morocco while another 9.7% worth originated from sellers located in North America.
Smaller percentages came from Latin America (4.2%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, fellow African countries (2.8%), then Oceania (0.1%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Given Morocco’s population of 37 million people, its total US$70.7 billion in 2023 imports translates to roughly $1,900 in yearly product demand from every person in the northwest African nation. That per capita dollar amount lags the average $2,000 per person one year prior in 2022.
Morocco’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Morocco’s import purchases during 2023. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Morocco.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$12 billion (17% of total imports)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $7.3 billion (10.3%)
- Vehicles: $6.5 billion (9.2%)
- Machinery including computers: $6.3 billion (9%)
- Cereals: $3 billion (4.2%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $3 billion (4.2%)
- Iron, steel: $1.8 billion (2.6%)
- Aircraft, spacecraft: $1.7 billion (2.4%)
- Articles of iron or steel: $1.5 billion (2.1%)
- Inorganic chemicals: $1.2 billion (1.7%)
Morocco’s top 10 imported product categories generated under two-thirds (62.8%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
The fastest growers among top Moroccan imported product categories from 2022 to 2023 were international purchases of electrical machinery and equipment (up 20.8%), articles made from iron or steel (up 20.1%), vehicles (up 19.1%) then machinery including computers (up 12.1%).
The worst decliners among Morocco’s leading import categories were inorganic chemicals (down -54.5%) and mineral fuels including oil (down -20.4%).
At the more detailed 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, Morocco’s 10 most valuable imported products in 2023 were refined petroleum oils (10.8% of Moroccan imports), cars (3.5%), automobile parts or accessories (3.4%), petroleum gases (3.3%), wheat (2.7%), insulated wire or cable (2.5%), miscellaneous aircraft or spacecraft parts (2%), coal including solid fuels made from coal (also 2%), aircraft or spacecraft parts (1.4%), and sugar (also 1.4%).
Collectively, the top 10 import products represent almost one-third (33.1%) of Moroccan spending on internationally sourced products.
Morocco’s Imported Mineral Fuels Including Oil
In 2023, Moroccan importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.
- Processed petroleum oils: US$7.6 billion (down -20.5% from 2022)
- Petroleum gases: $2.4 billion (down -9%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $1.4 billion (down -33.7%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $389.1 million (down -2.1%)
- Electrical energy: $223.4 million (down -42.3%)
- Peat: $47.8 million (down -4.2%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $24.3 million (down -38.7%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $7.7 million (up 4%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $2.3 million (up 217.6%)
- Asphalt/petroleum bitumen mixes: $678,000 (up 104.8%)
Among these import subcategories, Moroccan purchases of high-temperature distilled coal tar oils (up 217.6%), asphalt or petroleum bitumen mixes (up 104.8%) then petroleum jelly and mineral waxes (up 4%) grew from 2022 to 2023.
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 2023, Moroccan importers spent the most on the following subcategories of electrical products including consumer electronics.
- Insulated wire/cable: US$1.8 billion (up 24.4% from 2022)
- Phone devices including smartphones: $998.6 million (up 5.5%)
- Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $918 million (up 27.4%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $793.9 million (up 45.6%)
- Electric circuit parts, fuses, switches: $385 million (up 26.3%)
- TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $256.1 million (down -11.6%)
- Integrated circuits/microassemblies: $200.7 million (up 28.5%)
- Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $174.6 million (up 42.1%)
- Electrical converters/power units: $155 million (up 16%)
- Electric motors, generators: $144.3 million (up 25.7%)
Among these import subcategories, Moroccan purchases of lower-voltage switches or fuses (up 45.6%), electrical or optical circuit boards and panels (up 42.1%) then integrated circuits or microassemblies (up 28.5%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.
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 Vehicles
In 2023, Moroccan importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles and related products.
- Cars: US$2.5 billion (up 17.9% from 2022)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $2.4 billion (up 21.9%)
- Automobile bodies: $653.8 million (up 54.2%)
- Trucks: $367.5 million (down -13.8%)
- Tractors: $243.9 million (down -8.3%)
- Motorcycles: $160.6 million (up 47.5%)
- Trailers: $66.1 million (up 18.7%)
- Special purpose vehicles: $48.8 million (up 41.4%)
- Chasses fitted with engine: $41.3 million (up 347.5%)
- Public-transport vehicles: $18.7 million (down -47%)
Among these import subcategories, Moroccan purchases of chasses fitted with engine (up 347.5%), automobile bodies (up 54.2%) then motorcycles (up 47.5%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.
These amounts and percentages within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported vehicles among Moroccan businesses and consumers.
Morocco’s Imported Machinery Including Computers
In 2023, Moroccan importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery-related products including computers.
- Piston engines: US$930 million (up 22% from 2022)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $489.8 million (up 17.6%)
- Engines (diesel): $403.2 million (up 3.1%)
- Turbo-jets: $346.6 million (up 59.7%)
- Computers, optical readers: $338.2 million (down -1.9%)
- Liquid pumps and elevators: $312.6 million (up 15.1%)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $272.3 million (up 5.7%)
- Refrigerators, freezers: $234 million (down -2.1%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $222 million (down -4.1%)
- Air conditioners: $203 million (up 19%)
Among these import subcategories, Moroccan purchases of turbo-jets (up 59.7%), piston engines (up 22%) then air conditioners (up 19%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.
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.
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 December 14, 2024
International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (National Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on December 14, 2024
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on December 14, 2024
Richest Country Reports, Key Statistics Powering Global Wealth. Accessed on December 14, 2024