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Morocco’s agricultural reservoirs at 30% full compared to last season
Morocco’s agricultural reservoirs have a capacity of approximately 4.16 billion cubic meters as of May 31, 2024, reflecting a 30% filling rate compared to the previous season. This information was disclosed by Mohamed Sadiki, the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests.
Sadiki noted that the average cumulative precipitation has reached 237 millimeters (mm) this season, mirroring last year’s figures but showcasing a 33% decrease from the three-decade average of 355 mm. Despite reduced precipitation, the minister pointed out the beneficial impact of March rains on spring crops such as chickpeas, corn, sunflowers, dry beans, and vegetables, with the total cultivated area for these crops reaching around 144,000 hectares, or 89% of the targeted goal.
The spring vegetable program has achieved 83% of its objective, covering 57,000 hectares. Sadiki expressed confidence in meeting the summer’s consumption needs with these production levels. Onions, potatoes, and tomatoes were identified as the primary crops, with respective cultivated areas of 15,540 hectares, 8,807 hectares, and 4,308 hectares. Since July 2023, Morocco has introduced exceptional measures to support farmers, including a 10 billion dirhams initiative to alleviate production costs.
Source: moroccoworldnews.com