Morocco's citrus industry grapples with climate challenges

Ya Biladi

14-05-2025

DR
With over 1.5 million tons produced annually—including 500,000 tons for export—the citrus industry is a strategic pillar of Moroccan agriculture. It supports more than 13,000 rural families, generates 32 million workdays, and relies on a network of 50 packing stations and 4 juice factories.
Between 2010 and 2016, the area under citrus cultivation expanded from 98,000 to 128,000 hectares, spurred by the Green Morocco Plan and public-private partnerships on Sodea lands. Production followed suit, increasing by 59% over six years to reach 2.6 million tons in 2016.
An Industry Contracting After a Decade of Growth
But this momentum came to a halt due to overproduction, which outpaced processing and marketing capacities. Climate change further aggravated the situation. From 2016 to 2024, the cultivated area shrank by 29%, with more than 37,000 hectares uprooted, reducing the national orchard to 91,342 hectares. Yields also declined significantly, bringing total production down to 1.5 million tons.
A Younger, More Technical, and More Selective Orchard
Despite these setbacks, the sector is undergoing a strategic reorganization, explains Maroc Citrus, which brings together industry stakeholders. Today, 50% of orchards are less than 15 years old, with a growing emphasis on high-value varieties. Chief among them is the NadorCott, a locally developed and EU-protected mandarin, seen as a commercial and technical success. Managed by the Moroccan Association of NadorCott Producers (APNM), it is exported to over 40 countries and valued for its yield, size, and harvesting window.
Export Market: Forced Upgrading and New Opportunities
The rise of Turkish and Egyptian competitors—particularly in the Russian market—has eroded Morocco's market share. Yet this loss has also acted as a wake-up call, prompting the industry to move upmarket, enhance traceability, and adopt certifications such as GlobalGAP, SMETA, GRASP, and LEAF.
Still, certain segments like table oranges continue to struggle. The loss of competitiveness to Egypt has shortened the export season by two months, reducing the profitability of packing stations, increasing the precarity of seasonal jobs, and depriving juice processors of raw material. However, a strategic opening could emerge: Brazil—the world's top producer—has seen a drop in output due to the citrus greening virus, leading Egyptian exporters to redirect their fruit to processing, potentially freeing up space in the export market that Morocco could seize.
Challenge 1 – Water Resources: The Need for a Dedicated Plan
Water is by far the most pressing challenge for the sector. Repeated droughts threaten the long-term viability of citrus farming, particularly in key production zones. While desalinated water will be prioritized for domestic consumption, agriculture will increasingly depend on dam and recycled water—resources that may not be sufficient.
A dedicated water strategy is urgently needed. It should include scaling up desalination projects, establishing large-scale hydraulic interconnections (such as «water highways»), and promoting shared governance. Immediate consultation between the state and sector professionals is essential to prevent long-term decline.
Challenge 2 – Market Structuring: Breaking Systemic Barriers
In its March 2024 opinion, the Competition Council highlighted deep structural issues: land fragmentation, weak producer organization, dependence on intermediaries, and speculative practices in wholesale markets. These flaws hinder competitiveness, lengthen distribution chains, and raise costs for consumers.
To improve the sector's performance, Maroc Citrus recommends:
Challenge 3 – Labor Shortage: A Growing Structural Risk