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Rabat – A violent storm named “Storm Bernard” has hit the Atlantic coast of Morocco over the weekend, triggering strong sand-laden winds that reached speeds of up to 106 kilometers per hour in some areas.
The agricultural sector in Morocco has especially felt the heat from the storm, with farmers reporting significant losses as crops were blown away and trees, greenhouses, and equipment were damaged, Fresh Plaza reported on Monday.
According to the report, the hardest-hit region is Larache, a key region for producing Morocco’s soft fruit, avocado, and other fruit production.
Abdellah El Yamlahi, an avocado producer based in the Larache region and the president of the Moroccan Avocado Association, told Fresh Plaza that “the storm was surprising.”
“The damage in terms of crop losses and damage to trees is substantial,” he explained adding that “all avocado-producing regions, from Loukkous to Gharb, have been affected.”
Another soft fruit grower in the same region, Baioua Oussama, recounted that “the area from Larache to Moulay Bousselhem has been severely hit.”
“Many growers have lost everything, especially in arboriculture and soft fruit,” he lamented.
Describing the devastation from Storm Bernard, he said that “the winds tore up the trees, carried away the crops, and covered the soft fruit areas with sand.”
“Soft fruits are sensitive, so the damage is irreparable,” he explained.
In addition to directly destroying crops, the storm wreaked havoc on agriculture infrastructure and equipment.
“The damage in terms of equipment is significant. Many trees are broken, and the winds have also blown away the greenhouses, which will have to be rebuilt,” Oussama told the media.
As of Monday, there are no official estimates as to the exact toll of the damage caused by the storm.
