Bountiful Rainfall Boosts Morocco’s Crop Output in 2018

The 2018 crop year takes place in best conditions thanks to recent rains, which lifted harvest expectations to 98.2 million quintals, Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development Minister announced.

Morocco witnessed an accumulated rainfall of 370 mm that is 16% up compared to a normal year, conducive to dam filling rate standing at 67% by mid-April, said Aziz Akhannouch.

The event was marked by the celebration of the 10 years since the launch of the Green Morocco plan by King Mohammed VI in 2008 with the aim to boost productivity and the added value of the agricultural sector.

Green Morocco plan attaches paramount importance to solidarity-based farming with 813 projects currently receiving funds worth 18 billion dirhams benefiting 825,000 people, the agriculture ministry said in a statement, adding that an average of 90,000 beneficiaries have received aid between 2010 and 2018.

By the end of 2018, irrigated areas covered 590,000 hectares, which has been reflected in higher output and water saving.

With 4 million jobs, agriculture is the biggest employer in Morocco representing 14 percent of Morocco’s GDP equivalent to 110 billion dirhams.

Since 2008, 250,000 jobs have been created in the agricultural sector with a 65% rise in agricultural exports.