Morocco sharply increased purchases of Argentine corn during the first seven months of 2026 as North African buyers looked further afield for grain amid disruption to Ukrainian exports.
The Kingdom imported 1.55 million tonnes over the period, recording the biggest increase in the region, according to data from Argentina’s National Institute of Statistics and Censuses cited by Business Insider Africa.
Shipments to the Maghreb and Egypt rose 45pc from a year earlier to 6.5m tonnes.
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Egypt remained the biggest buyer by volume, with purchases up 48pc to 2.4m tonnes, while Algeria imported a similar amount after recording a 10pc increase.
Argentina had plenty to sell.
Its corn harvest reached nearly 71.7m tonnes, more than 20pc above the previous record, leaving exporters well placed to pick up orders from countries seeking alternatives to Ukrainian grain.
The rush of orders is expected to push Argentine corn exports close to 10m tonnes in August and September, compared with around 3m tonnes normally shipped during the period.
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Ukraine, meanwhile, has been struggling to get its grain out.
Military attacks on infrastructure in the Odesa region have disrupted Black Sea ports that previously handled 90pc of the country’s grain trade.
The Danube has provided little relief. Drought and high temperatures lowered water levels, restricting the amount vessels could carry and contributing to a 52pc fall in Ukrainian shipments.
That has opened more room for Argentina, already the world’s third-largest corn exporter, in markets across North Africa.
For Morocco, the trade matters beyond the grain market. Corn is widely used in animal feed, making its availability and price an important cost for poultry, egg, meat and dairy production.
