For decades, the Canadian durum sector has enjoyed stable trade with Morocco, strengthened by ongoing dialogue and a friendly relationship. That relationship was further reinforced in October 2025, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Cereals Canada and Morocco’s National Federation of Milling (FNM).

Dean Dias, chief executive officer of Cereals Canada was in Casablanca to meet with members of the FNM and participate in the signing of the MOU, which aims to strengthen commercial and technical exchanges in durum wheat, which accounts for 25 percent of Morocco’s wheat consumption.

Primarily used for couscous and pasta production, Canada Western Amber Durum (CWAD) is especially valued in Morocco for its bright yellow pigment, hard vitreous kernels, and high protein content which provides good surface texture, ensuring couscous is fluffy, not sticky, when cooked. In 2024, Morocco imported 1.1 MMT of Canadian durum, valued at CAD 521 million, ensuring a consistent and dependable supply for its food industry.

“We’re proud to be the leading suppliers of durum to Morocco,” says Dias. “Moroccans prefer high quality durum and because of this, they choose Canada.”

Cereals Canada regularly works with Moroccan durum customers to help them better understand the quality of Canadian wheat and to achieve the best possible results when working with CWAD. In 2024, the organization hosted a technical exchange at its Winnipeg headquarters targeted to Moroccan customers, and Morocco is a frequent stop on its annual Trade and Technical Missions.

According to Dias, the newly signed MOU cements Canada’s commitment to maintaining and further developing relationships with Morocco, which he describes as a very quality-conscious market.

“CWAD continues to deliver on what it’s globally recognized for—bright yellow colour, strong yet extensible gluten, and excellent semolina yields—but we’re not standing still,” says Dias. “Through ongoing collaboration and feedback from our customers, we’re driving innovation across the value chain from breeders to farmers to ensure Canadian durum continues to meet the highest global standards.”

“When our customers are successful, we are successful,” he adds.

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Canada the largest exporter of durum wheat, producing only 15% of the world’s durum but accounting for 54% of global durum exports. Learn more about key markets for Canadian durum at: Canadian Cereals in the Global Marketplace