Casablanca – Morocco intends to plant 5 million date palm trees of climate-adapted varieties as part of the implementation of the Generation Green 2020-2030 strategy, according to Minister of Agriculture Mohammed Sadiki.
Speaking at the opening of the International Date Exhibition in Morocco (SIDATTES), Sadiki noted that the country’s plan is to plant 3 million date palm trees inside the palm groves for densification and 2 million outside the palm groves.
According to the minister, Morocco’s date production has increased to an annual volume of up to 150,000 tonnes, despite the current year seeing a decline in production that should be between 115,000 and 120,000 tonnes nationally due to a severe drought.
The minister recalled Morocco’s Green Plan, which has prioritized the horticulture sector through the contract program 2009-2020.
The program enabled the planting of 3 million date palms, as well as the improvement of sector indicators such as production, quality, and variety selection adapted to Morocco’s climate, he detailed.
For him, the Green Morocco Plan has highlighted and confirmed the role of date palms in the preservation and development of oases by repositioning production sectors as vectors of development.
Read also: Morocco’s Date Palms Bring in MAD 2 Million Per Year
Sadiki also recalled the government’s support to small farmers to help them access markets organized in major cities.
In the same vein, the minister further emphasized the importance of scientific research and innovation in achieving the agriculture sector’s goals under the Generation Green strategy.
After a two-year suspension due to the health crisis, the 11th edition of the International Date Exhibition in Morocco (SIDATTES) will run from October 27 to 30 in Erfoud, an oasis town in the Draa-Tafilalet region in eastern Morocco.
It focuses on the importance and role of oases, as well as issues related to the preservation of natural resources for the long-term viability of these territories, which act as a real barrier against desertification.
