by PressThe agricultural sector in Morocco expects a serious decline in grain harvest
Morocco’s agricultural sector suffers from drought
The agricultural market is more susceptible to weather conditions, and they are not always favorable to farmers. For example, Morocco’s agricultural sector will suffer losses this season due to the prolonged drought. Analysts predict that cereal production will decrease by 53%.
Morocco is experiencing a lack of rainfall, the drought was a record for the past 10 years. This situation affects the harvest of crops, especially wheat. This season, local farmers planted 3.5 million hectares of crops, among which soft wheat took a share of 44%. Spelt is planted on 24% of the territory, and barley on 32%. Despite the rather large acreage, only 21% are in satisfactory condition.
Morocco imports cereals from France, as well as from a number of European countries, which have now suspended exports due to conflict between them. Therefore, the local government is considering new options for buying grain. However, it is too early to talk about making deals. It should be noted that Morocco is not the only country that faced adverse weather conditions. The drought has also affected agricultural production in other countries, among them Brazil. The state is one of the largest exporters of crops.
Earlier this year, Morocco introduced new health certificates for the importation of unprocessed plant products that are used in the production of feed for livestock. The list includes corn, barley, feed wheat, and other cereals. The government had to change the sanitary norms because of the bird flu epidemic, which caused serious losses to the country. According to the new rules, the exporter must now certify in the quality certificate that the products supplied have been grown in an area at least 10 kilometers away from the areas where the avian flu outbreak was recorded. Only with this information can the grain be imported into Morocco, otherwise the cargo will be blocked at entry.
Last year, the authorities announced an increase in the customs duty on wheat, which applies to soft and hard varieties. This step was dictated by the desire to support local farmers, who harvested a rich grain crop. In this way the government restricted imports, allowing domestic producers to earn money.
The duty increase was valid until May 2021, which made it possible to stabilize prices on the local market. It should be noted that last season the harvest in Morocco was high, unlike the previous two when the country suffered from drought. However, in the current period, production will again feel the negative effects of the lack of rainfall.