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Join on Telegram Rabat – Morocco’s agricultural reservoirs stood at approximately 4.16 billion cubic meters as of May 31, 2024, marking a 30% filling rate compared to the same period last season.
This data was revealed by Mohamed Sadiki, Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, during a session at the House of Counselors in Rabat on Tuesday.
According to Sadiki, the average cumulative precipitation levels have reached 237 millimeters (mm) so far this season, a figure identical to that of the previous year. However, this marks a notable decrease of 33% compared to the average over the last three decades, which stood at 355 mm.
Despite this decline, Sadiki emphasized the positive impact of March’s rain towards the cultivation of major springtime crops, including chickpeas, corn, sunflowers, dry beans, and vegetables.
The total cultivated area for springtime crops has reached approximately 144,000 hectares, which constitutes 89% of the programmed target.
The spring vegetable program has covered 57,000 hectares, reaching 83% of its planned goal. Sadiki expressed confidence that these production levels will meet consumption needs for the upcoming summer.
Breaking down the cultivated varieties, Sadiki highlighted onions as the predominant crop, covering around 15,540 hectares, followed by potatoes (8,807 hectares), and tomatoes (4,308 hectares).
Since July 2023, Morocco has implemented a series of exceptional measures to support farmers and alleviate production costs, amounting to 10 billion dirhams (Around $1 billion).
A significant portion of this, 4 billion dirhams ( ) to be exact, has been used to subsidize nitrogen fertilizers, benefiting 84,000 people with 1.47 million quintals.
Additionally, subsidies have been provided for laboratory analysis of soil, water, and plants, as well as for tomato, potato, and onion seeds and seedlings.
Sadiki underscored the distribution of cultivated areas, with potatoes covering 60%, onions 33%, and tomatoes 7%. These measures aim to bolster agricultural resilience in the face of challenging climate conditions and ensure food security for the Moroccan people.
