BACHIR DEBBAGH President of Conagro	AZIZ DEBBAGH Director of Conagro

Moroccan company already well ahead of the game is Conagro, which has been successfully exporting sardines, olive oil, capers and red peppers to the U.S. for some time now and is hoping to add mushrooms soon. “Our American partners know the quality of our products and they realize the added value of Moroccan goods,” says company President Bachir Debbagh, who lived and studied in New York for many years with his brother Aziz before the two returned to Morocco to start Conagro. “Our products are generally distributed by a large American importer and sold to ethnic shops, such as Italian and Greek distributors. We have just launched a brand called Alili that represents the best of Morocco.”

According to Mr. Debbagh, Moroccan agricultural products have a great deal of potential for export due to their organic quality. Investment is necessary, however, to get these products onto American tables. “We are not an agriculturally industrialized country,” he asserts. “We do not have genetically modified products in Morocco. It is rare when a small farmer even has the means the buy pesticides, so Moroccan products will always be high quality. This could change next year if large farmers and investors come in. But at the moment, we are trying to find top-end markets for people who know how to appreciate quality products.”

For American investors, both Mr. Mechahouri and Mr. El Alaoui stress Morocco’s significance as a trading base. “Morocco is an ideal platform for re-export. We have a series of agreements with Europe, Africa and the Middle East,” says Mr. El Alaoui. “It is important to inform American investors about the opportunity to come here not to sell but to re-export.”

Mr. Mechahouri adds, “We have a constantly evolving infrastructure that includes 16 airports, 27 ports, a modern telecommunications network, and industrial zones distributed throughout the country. Moreover, the strong investment climate that now exists here, in all sectors of the economy, leads us to believe that Morocco has the assets to play an important role as regional leader.”