Morocco Reduces Cereal Imports 11% Despite Growing Food Security Concerns

Rabat — Morocco cut its cereal imports by 11% during the first seven months of 2025, according to data from the National Federation of Cereal and Vegetable Traders.

The country imported 5.847 million tons of cereals between January and July 2025, down from 6.57 million tons during the same period last year.

The federation attributes this decline to more careful purchasing decisions amid abundant global supplies and Morocco’s national strategy to build up grain reserves.

However, the overall drop masks sharp differences between different types of cereals.

Mixed trends across cereal types

Some cereal imports actually increased during this period. Morocco boosted its durum wheat imports by 24% to 825,789 tons, reflecting the growing importance of this grain for the semolina and pasta industries.

Corn imports also rose 12% to 1.716 million tons, driven by demand from the animal feed sector.

Other cereals saw dramatic decreases. Soft wheat imports, crucial for flour and bread production, fell 16% to 2.636 million tons.

Barley imports fell sharply 58% to just 430,527 tons, compared to more than one million tons the previous year.

Persistent international dependence

Despite the overall reduction, Morocco remains heavily dependent on international markets for its cereal supply, the federation notes.

The country continues to import massive volumes of soft wheat to meet strong domestic demand for bread and related products.

The federation links the sharp drop in barley purchases to improved conditions in livestock sectors and adjustments to existing reserves.

These trends raise urgent questions about food security, according to the organization. Climate volatility and insufficient harvests continue to pressure Morocco, making it essential to diversify import sources, develop local production, and manage reserves carefully.

Experts quoted by the federation said the increases in durum wheat and corn imports reflect strategic choices based on consumption patterns and livestock needs.

Meanwhile, the decreases in soft wheat and barley represent short-term adjustments rather than structural changes.

Push for greater food independence

The underlying challenge remains unchanged: reducing Morocco’s structural vulnerability to climate shocks and global market fluctuations while strengthening domestic production to achieve greater food independence.

The country’s agriculture ministry offered encouraging news in April, forecasting cereal production of 44 million quintals for the 2024-2025 season.

This represents a 41% increase compared to the previous season.

However, even this significant improvement will not be enough to reverse Morocco’s dependence on cereal imports permanently.