Rabat – Morocco’s Ministry of Agriculture expressed satisfaction with this season’s cereal production campaign.
The ministry said that the final production of the three main cereals for the 2020-2021 campaign is estimated at nearly 103.2 million quintals (Mqx) compared to the 31.1 Mqx in the previous season.
The remarkable increase is estimated at 221% compared to the previous campaign, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.
The production is cultivated on land that consists of mainly cereal-based crops in 4.35 million hectares of land.
The ministry emphasized that the area is similar to the previous campaign, describing this season as “a very good cereal harvest.”
“The initial growth estimates for the entire agricultural sector with all its sectors should be confirmed with a forecast agricultural added value of MAD 130 billion for the year 2021.”
The number represents a growth of over 18%, demonstrating a “stronger” resilience of the agricultural sector.
The ministry noted that the 2020-2021 crop year was marked by a good “temporal distribution” of rainfall.
“In some regions, the yields achieved have exceeded initial forecasts, particularly north of Oum Errabia,” the ministry said.
As a result of unusually heavy rainfall this season, this is considered to be “historically” the second-best campaign after the 2014-15 period, the statement emphasized.
“This testifies to the technical progress made in the technical progress made in the cultivation of cereals thanks in particular to the dissemination of genetic progress, the result of the use of certified seeks, the mechanization of cultivation operations, and the introduction of new production and soil conservation technologies like direct sowing,” the ministry said.
This season was characterized by heavy rainfall, which helped agriculture recover after a drought-stricken season in 2019-2020.
The agriculture sector in Morocco contributes 19% to the country’s GDP, and the industry is one of Morocco’s most important economic sectors.
The GDP number is divided into two categories: agriculture (15%) and agro-industry (4%).
The agricultural sector employs over 4 million people, including an estimate of 100,000 people in the agro-industry.
