CAPERS FROM MOROCCO · B2B WHOLESALE · GLOBAL SOURCING
Source Moroccan Capers Wholesale — B2B, All Grades, Delivered Worldwide
Agrilinkage works directly with EACCE-registered processing facilities across Morocco's caper-producing regions. We handle supplier selection, grade specification, export documentation, and international freight, so you receive export-compliant capers ready for your destination port.
WHAT AGRILINKAGE DOES
End-to-End B2B Sourcing From Morocco
Agrilinkage manages the entire export sequence: we confirm supplier availability and grade stock, obtain EACCE conformity inspection and ONSSA phytosanitary certificates, prepare the full documentation package for your import market, book and coordinate sea freight, and deliver a complete, customs-ready document set to your freight forwarder or customs broker at destination.
MOROCCO'S CAPER INDUSTRY
Morocco is consistently recognised as the world's largest producer and exporter of capers (Capparis spinosa). The plant grows in two forms across the country: wild-harvested from approximately 14,000 hectares of naturally occurring stands, and commercially cultivated across a further 10,500 hectares of managed plantations. Nearly 99% of total production is exported, domestic consumption is minimal.
Annual production varies between 14,000 and 24,000 metric tonnes depending on precipitation and harvest conditions. The primary producing regions are Taounate (northeast, accounting for the largest share), Fès, Safi (Atlantic coast), Taroudant (Souss-Massa), and Marrakech. Each region produces capers with slightly different bud-size profiles and salt or brine treatments developed by local processing cooperatives.
Export quality is governed by the EACCE, Établissement Autonome de Contrôle et de Coordination des Exportations, the Moroccan public body responsible for ensuring compliance of exported food products with importing countries' standards. Exporters must hold EACCE registration and are subject to product sampling and inspection prior to certificate issuance. Phytosanitary certification is issued by ONSSA, Office National de Sécurité Sanitaire des produits Alimentaires.
WHO WE WORK WITH
Built for Buyers Who Source at Volume
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Food Manufacturers & Processors
Producers of sauces, condiments, tinned fish, ready meals, and antipasto products sourcing capers as a production ingredient. We supply bulk brine-packed or salt-packed capers in food-grade drums and IBC formats with full allergen and nutritional documentation.
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Food Service Operators
Restaurant groups, hotel procurement teams, and catering distributors requiring wholesale caper supply in catering pack formats, typically 1kg jars or 5kg pails, at commercial pricing with consistent brine quality and grade specification across orders.
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Importers & Distributors
B2B importers supplying food service and retail channels who need reliable container-volume supply with consistent grade specification. We support EUR.1 documentation, country-of-origin labelling requirements, and private-label pack formats on request.
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Specialty Retailers & Private Label
Specialty food retailers and delicatessen importers sourcing retail-format Moroccan capers for private-label or branded presentation. We coordinate glass jar packing, label compliance for EU, UK, and US retail markets, and minimum-order retail-ready cartons.
PROCESS
How we work with you
01
Requirements Assessment
We confirm your destination country, grade specification (nonpareil, surfines, capote, or larger), preservation format (brine, salt, or oil-free salt), pack format (glass jar, PET drum, food-grade barrel), volume requirement, and any certification requirements (organic, GlobalG.A.P., Halal).
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Documentation & Compliance
Upon order confirmation, we initiate EACCE (Morocco Foodex) conformity inspection of the production batch. We coordinate ONSSA phytosanitary certificate issuance, which must be dated no more than 14 days before shipment loading. We prepare the EUR.1 movement certificate for EU, UK, and association-agreement destinations, the certificate of origin, commercial invoice, packing list, and any destination-specific requirements such as FDA Prior Notice (US), advance TRACES notification (EU), or GACC documentation (China).
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Supplier Engagement
We engage our network of EACCE-registered caper processing facilities, to confirm stock availability, production timelines, and price. For organic orders, we confirm EU or USDA NOP organic certification status with the relevant certifying body. You receive a formal price quotation with supply confirmation before any commitment is required.
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Cold-Chain & Delivery
Brine-packed and salt-packed capers ship in standard dry containers, no refrigeration required. We book sea freight from Casablanca Port or Tanger-Med depending on routing efficiency to your destination port. We provide the full shipper's document set including the bill of lading and draft customs entry documents. For repeat buyers, we coordinate forward-booking to align with your inventory cycle. Lead time for recurring shipments on established supplier relationships is typically 3 to 4 weeks from reorder to vessel loading.
Our Scope
What We Manage on Your Behalf
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Supplier and producer identification
We source from EACCE-registered processing and packaging facilities with active conformity approval. Facility registration status is confirmed before every order, not assumed from prior shipments.
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Wholesale pricing and grade availability
We provide FOB Casablanca or Tanger-Med pricing on a per-grade, per-pack-format basis. Pricing is confirmed against current stock availability, not indicative catalogue rates.
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Export Documentation
EACCE Certificate of Conformity, ONSSA Phytosanitary Certificate (IPPC model), EUR.1 Movement Certificate, Certificate of Origin, Commercial Invoice, Packing List, and destination-market addenda as required.
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Destination-country import compliance
We tailor the document package to your import market: FDA Prior Notice and FSVP supplier documentation for the US; TRACES/iMOFFS pre-notification for the EU and UK; GACC registration documentation for China; SFA advance notification for Singapore.
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International freight coordination
We book sea freight from Casablanca Port or Tanger-Med on standard dry containers (20ft or 40ft). FCL and LCL options available. We provide vessel, ETD, and ETA details for your customs planning.
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Recurring Supply Management
For buyers placing repeat orders, we manage forward-booking of supply and vessel space to align with your inventory cycle. We maintain contact with Morocco-based suppliers throughout the year, including post-harvest season planning.
IMPORT & COMPLIANCE
Documentation required to export Moroccan capers
The following nine documents or certification requirements apply to commercial export of capers from Morocco. Agrilinkage coordinates all of these on behalf of the buyer.
EACCE Certificate of Conformity
Issued by Morocco Foodex (formerly EACCE), this certificate confirms that the exported product complies with Moroccan export control standards and applicable contractual specifications. Exporters must be registered with Foodex to ship regulated agri-food products. Inspections may include grading, packaging compliance, and laboratory analyses depending on the product and destination requirements. Foodex operates and collaborates with regional laboratories in key agricultural zones, some of which are accredited according to international standards.
Organic Certification Documentation
For organic-certified capers, certification must be issued by an accredited control body. For the EU market, products must comply with Regulation (EU) 2018/848 and be accompanied by a Certificate of Inspection (COI) issued and validated through TRACES prior to customs clearance. For the U.S. market, products must comply with the USDA National Organic Program (NOP), either through direct certification or an applicable equivalency arrangement. Morocco’s organic sector is governed by Law 39-12 and Decree 2-12-389. Documentation confirming organic status must be available for each shipment. Supply of organic-certified capers remains subject to confirmation of valid certification and available certified stock at the time of inquiry.
Packaging and Labelling at Origin
Morocco Foodex (formerly EACCE) verifies the conformity of agri-food products intended for export, including packaging and labeling, against applicable Moroccan and destination-country requirements. Labeling standards themselves are defined by Moroccan regulations and the rules of the importing market. For capers in brine, typical label elements include product name and grade, net drained weight, ingredient list, operator details, country of origin (Morocco), lot number, and best-before date. Allergen information is required only where applicable. Products destined for the EU or UK must comply with Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 or equivalent UK legislation. Compliance with destination-market labeling requirements must be ensured prior to export.
Phytosanitary and SPS Classification
Processed capers in brine or salt are plant-origin food products. Depending on their level of processing and the requirements of the importing country, a phytosanitary certificate issued by ONSSA may be required, although this is not systematic for all processed products. Compared to fresh plant material, processed capers are generally subject to less stringent phytosanitary controls, but may still be regulated at import. Capers are not subject to animal health certification. Import sanitary and phytosanitary requirements, including pesticide maximum residue limits (MRLs), such as those defined in Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 for the EU, must be verified for each destination market and complied with at the production stage.
ONSSA Phytosanitary Certificate
Issued by ONSSA (Office National de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires), this phytosanitary certificate follows the model of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). It certifies that the product complies with the phytosanitary requirements of the importing country and is free from quarantine pests. Such certificates are required for plants and certain plant products depending on the regulations of the destination country.
EUR.1 Movement Certificate
For shipments destined for the EU, the United Kingdom, or certain partner countries under applicable trade agreements, a EUR.1 Movement Certificate may be used to claim preferential tariff treatment. Its use is optional and only necessary when preferential origin is claimed. Under the EU–Morocco and UK–Morocco Association Agreements, Moroccan agricultural products may benefit from reduced or zero tariffs, subject to specific conditions. The EUR.1 is issued by Moroccan Customs (Administration des Douanes et Impôts Indirects) at export, based on compliance with the relevant rules of origin defined in the agreement.
HS Code Classification
Capers prepared or preserved in vinegar or acetic acid are classified under HS 2001.90 at the 6-digit level. Fresh or unprocessed caper buds fall under HS 0709.99. Capers preserved in salt without further processing are generally classified under Chapter 07 (e.g., 0709.99) or, in some cases, under HS 0711 (provisionally preserved vegetables), depending on their condition. The applicable 8- or 10-digit tariff subheading varies by destination country. Buyers should confirm the correct classification with their customs broker to determine applicable duties and quota conditions.
Facility and Exporter Registration
Caper exporting facilities in Morocco may be subject to export control and conformity requirements, including oversight by Morocco Foodex (formerly EACCE) and sanitary authorization from ONSSA depending on product type and destination market. For shipments to the United States, foreign food facilities must be registered with the FDA under 21 CFR Part 1 Subpart H, and the U.S. importer of record must comply with FSVP requirements. For China, overseas food production facilities must be registered with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) for applicable product categories. For Singapore, food imports require import permits and advance notification managed through the Singapore Food Agency system. Compliance requirements vary by destination market and product category and must be verified accordingly.
KEY IMPORT MARKETS
Capers: Market-by-market import requirements
Import requirements for Moroccan capers in brine (HS 2001.90) across eight primary commercial markets. Requirements for other preservation formats (salt-packed, HS 2005.99) may differ — confirm with your customs broker.
United States
Processed capers (HS 2001.90) enter under FDA jurisdiction as acidified or brined food products. The producing facility must hold FDA food facility registration. The US importer of record must comply with FSMA's Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP), maintaining hazard analysis and supplier verification records. FDA Prior Notice of all food shipments is required at least 2 hours before arrival for sea freight. Under the US-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (in force since 2006), Moroccan capers benefit from preferential tariff treatment, a certificate of origin confirming Moroccan origin is required to claim this rate. Labels must comply with 21 CFR Part 101, including Nutrition Facts, ingredient list, and allergen declarations under FALCPA. Pesticide MRLs follow EPA tolerances; EU-origin capers sometimes have different MRL profiles, so ONSSA-confirmed pesticide residue testing is advisable.
United Kingdom
Post-Brexit, Morocco and the UK maintain bilateral trade preferences under the UK-Morocco Association Agreement. EUR.1 movement certificates (or the UK equivalent, REX registered exporter declarations) are required to claim preferential tariff rates under this agreement. UK importers are required to pre-notify plant-origin food products via IPAFFS (Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System) before shipment arrival at a UK Border Control Post. Capers in brine are subject to documentary and identity checks and may be subject to physical checks depending on risk categorisation. Labels must comply with UK Food Information Regulations 2014, equivalent in substance to EU Regulation 1169/2011 but distinct in presentation requirements. Country of origin must be declared as "Produced in Morocco."
Japan
Japan regulates imported food products under the Food Sanitation Act and the Food Labelling Act. Capers in brine are classified as processed vegetables and require an import notification (shokuhin no yunyu todokedoke) submitted to MHLW before customs clearance. The importer of record in Japan bears responsibility for confirming compliance with Japanese pesticide MRL standards, which follow Codex Alimentarius with Japanese addenda, some pesticides approved in the EU have no established MRL in Japan, triggering the "positive list" default of 0.01 ppm. Pre-shipment pesticide residue testing by an accredited laboratory is strongly advisable. Retail product labels must be in Japanese, including product name, ingredients, best-before date, storage method, and importer name and address. No trade agreement between Morocco and Japan is currently in force, MFN tariff rates apply.
Canada
Processed capers (HS 2001.90) imported into Canada are regulated under the Safe Food for Canadians Act (SFCA) and the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR). Importers must hold a valid Safe Food for Canadians licence issued by CFIA. A Preventive Control Plan (PCP) must be in place and available for CFIA inspection. Moroccan caper exporters must be licenced under the SFCR for the specific commodity. Labels must comply with the Food and Drug Regulations, including bilingual French and English labelling for retail products. There is no Canada-Morocco free trade agreement currently in force; MFN tariff rates apply to Moroccan capers. Canada and Morocco maintain normal trade relations; no import alerts are currently active on Moroccan processed vegetables.
Australia
Processed capers in brine are classified as processed food and are not subject to the stricter biosecurity restrictions applying to fresh plant material entering Australia. Import of capers in brine does not require a biosecurity import permit from DAFF. Compliance with the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (FSANZ) is required, specifically Standard 1.2 (labelling) and the Maximum Residue Limits Standard. Australian labels must include statement of ingredients, allergen declarations, date marking, and country of origin declaration compliant with the Australian Consumer Law and FSANZ Country of Origin requirements. No free trade agreement between Australia and Morocco is currently in force; MFN tariff rates apply. Australia Border Force (ABF) manages customs clearance; importers should lodge an import declaration through the ABF's integrated cargo system.
Singapore
Singapore Food Agency (SFA) regulates all food imports into Singapore under the Sale of Food Act and the Food Regulations. Importers of processed food products must hold a valid SFA licence and register with SFA's Food Import and Export System (FIES). For each consignment of capers, the importer must submit a permit declaration through TradeNet (Singapore's national import/export permit system). Singapore has no established tariff on most food imports, MFN rates are generally 0%. The Singapore-EU FTA framework (for context) does not apply to Morocco. Labels must comply with the Food Regulations Cap. 283, including declaration of all ingredients in descending order of weight, and specific additive declarations. SFA may require laboratory test results for pesticide residues and food additives on an inspection basis.
UAE & Gulf Region (GCC)
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) applies common food standards issued by the Gulf Standards Organisation (GSO). Processed capers entering the UAE require a food import permit from the relevant emirate's food control authority (Dubai Municipality for Dubai; Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority for Abu Dhabi; etc.). Product registration may be required for repeat imports in certain emirates. GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) standards for processed vegetables apply. Halal certification is not mandatory for capers as a plant-origin product, but is commercially advantageous and increasingly expected by retail buyers in the region. Labels must be in Arabic or bilingual Arabic/English. Products must carry production date, expiry date, and storage conditions. No Morocco-GCC free trade agreement currently applies.
China
Since the implementation of the Measures for the Registration and Administration of Overseas Producers of Imported Food (effective January 2022), overseas food production enterprises exporting to China must be registered with GACC. The Moroccan processing facility must hold a valid GACC registration for the relevant food category before shipment. Entry is governed by the Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China and GACC Order 249. Capers in brine would typically fall under the processed vegetable category. Chinese MRL standards (GB 2763) apply, these differ from EU or Codex standards in some parameters. Labels affixed before clearance must be in simplified Chinese (or Chinese labels applied at the bonded warehouse). There is no China-Morocco free trade agreement in force; MFN tariff rates apply.
SUBMIT AN INQUIRY
Share Your Sourcing Requirements
Provide the details of what you're looking for below. We review every inquiry and respond with a structured overview of what we can source, at what volume, and what the end-to-end process looks like for your specific destination.
We only engage with serious wholesale inquiries. Agrilinkage operates exclusively at professional B2B level. We do not handle retail or consumer orders, and we work with minimum volumes consistent with the operational reality of international dairy logistics.
All inquiries are subject to review. We verify the business details provided, including company name and email domain, before responding. Submitting this form does not create any commercial commitment on either side, but it does allow us to assess whether your requirements are a fit for what we do.
