Rabat – Aziz Akhannouch, the minister of agriculture and fisheries has commented on Morocco’s expected agriculture production this year, saying wheat, barley, and durum harvests, the three main cereals in Morocco, will be only average.
In response to a question in the House of Representatives on Monday, April 22, Akhannouch stated that “the agricultural production season will be average only for the three types of cereals.”
“Production of olives should reach 1.9 million tons, bearing in mind that most of the olive areas are in good condition,” he continued.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries aims to produce 2.5 million tons of olives per year in 2020, under its “Green Morocco Plan.”
Akhannouch also noted that Morocco will produce 2.6 million tons of citrus fruit, despite difficulties in the sector.
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Akhannouch recognized that Morocco received irregular rainfall in the current agricultural season. Morocco recorded 284 millimeters of rainfall to this date, a 12% decrease from a normal year, and dams are at 59% capacity.
To promote a successful 2018-2019 agricultural season, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries had ensured the availability of 500,000 tons of fertilizers on the market.
In relation to exports, the minister identified that exports of agricultural products are expected to increase by 9%. Citrus exports had already reached 628,000 tons, an increase of 6% from last year.
