Morocco: Study analyses country position on Octopus Market A report sponsored by the National Fisheries Office (ONP) and conducted by consultancy firm Agro Marché states that Morocco could be granted official status as the world’s leading octopus trader, but still must facilitate market expansion, which is a massive challenge considering there are few importing countries and Japan is the top importer of octopus and as such controls prices because supply outstrips demand. Morocco should implement mechanisms that will not only support Morocco’s leadership but also facilitate market expansion, states the report, which suggests collaboration among companies, compliance with the highest quality standards and partnerships with foreign companies. The bottom line is that Morocco should not perhaps rely too heavily on Japan to make purchases and instead should look to Europe. The report claims that consumer patterns are changing in Japan and could result in lower consumption of octopus as younger generations favour different products. According to the report, the octopus market is more defined by Japan’s domestic market trends than by changes in prices or world supply. Today, the number of countries that produce octopus is greater than the number of importing countries. Morocco, Senegal and Mauritania account for half of the world’s supply. Next come Vietnam, Thailand, china, Korea and Indonesia, which are strong potential competitors for Morocco. Mexico is also mentioned as an occasional competitor.