Moroccan wheat harvest hits record lows amid severe drought, climate change

MOROCCO — Moroccan farmers are facing an unprecedented wheat harvest crisis this year, as severe drought and climate change devastate crops across the country.

The situation has reached such critical levels that some regions are witnessing complete abandonment of wheat cultivation due to the relentless water shortages.

In Kenitra Province, which has been relatively less affected, farmers are still struggling with drastically reduced yields.

 “Today, a hectare of land yields no more than 10 bags of wheat. In the past, we could harvest 40, 50, or even 60 bags,” lamented local farmer Driss Mamma.

The Moroccan Agriculture Ministry’s projections are bleak, with this year’s wheat harvest expected to be around 31.2 million quintals, a 43% drop from last year’s already disappointing 55.1 million quintals.

The area dedicated to major cereals has shrunk by 33%, from 3.67 million hectares to just 2.47 million hectares.

This decline is poised to have severe economic implications, according to Driss Aissaoui, an analyst and former member of the Moroccan Ministry for Agriculture.

 “When you have less than 50 million quintals, you are then in a crisis. This means you have to import more, which is why Morocco is a major importer of cereals from the futures markets,” Aissaoui explained.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations has ranked Morocco as the sixth-largest wheat importer globally.

However, according to Moroccan publication L’Observateur du Maroc et d’Afrique, wheat imports are projected to rise by 19% to 7.5 million tons in 2024. Between January and June, Moroccan traders have already imported nearly 2.5 million tons of common wheat, with France, Germany, Russia, and Ukraine being the main suppliers.

Farmers across Morocco are grappling with delayed rains, reduced precipitation, and significant temperature fluctuations. These climatic changes have disrupted traditional farming practices and severely impacted crop yields. Even large, modern farms are not immune.

Mohamed Krata, who operates a large farm, noted, “We farmers work according to the weather conditions and follow the instructions from the Agriculture Ministry. While the ministry provides guidance on diseases, questions about climate change are addressed by experts.”

Annually, Morocco dedicates about five million hectares to cereals, but this year, only around 2.7 million hectares were cultivated. The late rains in autumn provided only limited relief, with spring rains in March offering some respite.

Rachid Benali, chairman of the Agriculture and Rural Development Confederation (COMADER), underscored that climate change is the primary threat to Morocco’s agriculture.

“Morocco has faced droughts in the past, but the recent changes are more radical. The increase in temperature peaks and frequent hailstorms, up to three or four times a year, are unprecedented,” Benali observed.

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