Rabat – As the cold snap that was sweeping through Morocco has finally come to an end, tomato production is expected to return to normalcy by mid-April, leaving growers with two-three months before the end of tomato season.
Morocco’s Association of Fruit and Vegetable exporters blamed the lack of production on the unprecedented cold temperatures, claiming the weather was responsible for the 80% daily reduction in produce, Spanish outlet FreshPlaza reported.
Agronomist and tomato specialist Mustapha Aouragh said the rising temperatures and humidity have helped to boost production. Currently, temperatures are ranging between 17-27 degrees during the day in the Souss-Massa region, with humidity levels reaching 70%.
This change in weather marks the end of the winter period, Aouragh explained, noting that the warmer climate means it is possible to “significantly reduce the production gap compared to last year.”
The agricultural expert added that farmers now have to revitalize the soil to give the roots of the plant a chance to grow, for optimal output. Although temperatures are on the rise, there are forecasts of strong winds that can pose another threat to tomato production.
Yet Aouragh suggested that strong irrigation and greenhouses can fix the problem.
Throughout Morocco, temperatures have dropped between 1 – 6 degrees Celsius in recent weeks. And such abnormally low temperatures meant the crops remained in a vegetative state, resulting in production dropping from 2,000 kg a day to a maximum of 300 kg daily.
Many foreign importers of Moroccan tomatoes have complained about the lack of produce, especially in the UK.
Late last month, UK shoppers took to social media posting pictures of the empty tomato sections in supermarkets. Some British sellers even placed a restriction on how many tomatoes one person could buy.
