Turkish textile and raw materials exports to Morocco increased 30 per cent between January 2022 and August 2022. This is in spite of the fact that Morocco has imposed tariffs on Turkish imports. Turkish textile products, alongside Chinese brands, have flooded the Moroccan fashion sector. The Moroccan textile industry is gradually losing ground to them, particularly in the urban hubs. Morocco had the highest increase in the quantity of imported textiles and raw materials among Turkey’s top export destinations. The others are Italy, Germany, the US, Spain, and France.

The lack of funding as well as limited growth prospects for small and medium-sized Moroccan businesses in the sector represent additional challenges to the development of the local textile industry. Morocco fears for the sustainability of local shops in the light of the Turkish discount store Bim which has rapidly expanded in Morocco over the past few years.

There is a feeling in Morocco that the Morocco-Turkey Free Trade Agreement signed in 2004 has brought more economic benefits to Turkey. So there is a discussion in Morocco of the impact of the free flow of competitive Turkish products to the domestic market.

The Turkish textile and raw materials sector marked seven per cent year-on-year growth by the end of August 2022.