Agricultural Turnaround: Morocco Sees 41% Boost in Cereal Yields
The announcement came on Monday from Minister of Agriculture Ahmed Bouari during a parliamentary session.
After a difficult previous season, the sector appears to be regaining momentum. Bouari told members of parliament that the agricultural growth rate should stand at 5.1% this year, a significant turnaround from last season's 4% decline.
Rainfall patterns began to improve in March. Recorded rainfall reached 295 millimeters by the end of April. While this figure was still 20% below the norm, it was 15% higher than last year's levels. The increase contributed to better dam reserves. Water storage for agricultural purposes reached 5.31 billion cubic meters, compared to 4.38 billion last season. The overall dam filling rate now stands at 38%.
Efforts to prepare for the season included the sale of nearly 740,000 quintals of certified seeds, a 10% increase from the previous year. Authorities also subsidized 1.3 million quintals of nitrogen fertilizers, benefiting 78,000 farmers. Insurance coverage extended to 661,000 hectares of cereal crops, legumes, and oilseeds.
Read also: Kazakhstan Ships 60,000 Tons of Wheat to Morocco via Baltic Route
Farmers sowed a total of 3.11 million hectares with major autumn crops. About 2.6 million hectares were planted with cereals, while forage crops covered 400,000 hectares and legumes 100,000. Only 10% of the total area was irrigated.
As for spring crops, planted land reached 158,000 hectares. Maize took up the largest share with 47%, followed by chickpeas at 35%, sunflowers at 13%, and dry beans at 5%.
Sugar crop cultivation also advanced. This season saw over 35,000 hectares dedicated to sugar beet and 1,155 hectares planted with sugarcane.
The vegetable program moved forward steadily. Farmers completed 91% of the autumn vegetable plan, covering approximately 97,000 hectares. Winter vegetables covered 65,000 hectares, reaching about 90% of the targeted area.
This year's indicators offer cautious optimism for Moroccan agriculture after a period of drought and uncertainty. Tags: agriculturecerealMorocco agricultureMorocco Droughtwheat
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