Marruecos impulsa las exportaciones de materiales de construcción
A study conducted by the Bureau de Change showed that Morocco is capable of significantly increasing its exports of building materials if it takes advantage of the recent increase in global demand. The study identified several key areas for growth, such as improving the efficiency of manufacturing processes, reducing logistics costs, reducing bureaucracy and improving the quality of products. The Bureau de Change recommends that Morocco take advantage of these opportunities to improve its exports of construction materials, which would allow it to increase its exports of these products sixfold. This is because competing countries have already surpassed the Kingdom's current level of exports and some of them even export more than three times what Morocco currently exports. If the North African country seizes this opportunity, it could reach an annual export flow of approximately $3 billion.
Spain is Morocco's main trading partner in this sector, with a market share of 23.7%, followed by France (20.5%), Mauritania (7.3%), the United States (6.3%) and Côte d'Ivoire (3.3%). Geographical diversification and the growth of international markets have contributed to a significant increase in Moroccan exports of building materials, reflecting the stable and growing demand for quality products worldwide.
The study makes recommendations that focus on the modernisation of the local building materials industry, the improvement of product quality, technological innovation and the adoption of collaborative approaches among the sector's actors. These recommendations are essential for Morocco to achieve its goal of increasing exports. For example, improving product quality will allow the Kingdom to reach new markets and compete with products from other countries. In addition, the adoption of better management practices, technology and teamwork will increase productivity and, consequently, competitiveness. In this way, Morocco will be able to access new trade opportunities and increase its share of the global market for construction materials.
The research also showed that Morocco has a natural resource base and an infrastructure for the production of goods and services that is adequate to exploit this potential. The country's main natural resources include minerals, water, arable soil, renewable energy and a temperate climate. In addition, there is a good transport infrastructure to facilitate the mobility of goods and services across borders.
In recent years, Morocco has seized the opportunity of its growth to diversify its portfolio of BTP projects, in order to boost sustainable development and foster socio-economic growth. This has contributed to a significant improvement in the provision of public services and has created numerous jobs in the construction sector. In addition, the BTP sector has benefited from modernised tax legislation and fiscal incentives, which have contributed to increased investment in the sector.
Morocco's imports of building materials have experienced sustained growth since 2010, averaging 4.6% annually. In 2021, imports reached a record value of MAD 21.1 billion. The main imported products include ceramic products, metal building pipes and fittings, and stonework, plaster and cement. Morocco's top five suppliers of construction materials are Spain, China, Turkey, Italy and France, accounting for 25%, 14%, 11%, 10% and 9% of imports in 2021, respectively. These products are essential to the Moroccan economy, as they make it possible to build infrastructure and develop new businesses.