Abundant rainfall augurs well for 2023 crop year

The recent rainfall across Morocco has dissipated fears of another dry year auguring well for the crop year and filling dams.

Farmers in different regions in Morocco bore the brunt of consecutive years of drought that slashed crops, emptied dams and depleted ground water.

With the latest rainfall, the average dam filling rate returned to 33% in late February compared with 32.3% last year.

While most northern dams show a filling rate above 60%, dams in central and southern Morocco are yet to be sufficiently filled, pending the melting of the snow in Atlas peaks to feed reservoirs.

Morocco had banned using dam water for irrigation in late 2022 to be saved for drinking water, fearing late rainfall.

Farmers expect Morocco’s cereals harvest to be higher this year given abundant rain in north Western plains.

Agriculture is the first employing sector in Morocco making up about 14% of its GDP.