The Morocco Ministry of Agriculture is forecasting total wheat and barley output at 9.8 million tonnes, which is about 26% above the country’s 10-year production average.
The estimate includes 4.8 million tonnes of common wheat, 2.4 million of durum wheat, and 2.6 million tonnes of barley. Morocco produced just 640,000 tonnes of barley last year and was forced to import 1 million tonnes. The report projects imports to decline to 300,000 tonnes in 2021-22.
Morocco has increased its 2021-22 wheat and barley production outlook by 206% over the previous marketing year due to favorable weather conditions, according to a July 1 Global Agricultural Information Network report from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Moroccan agriculture
The USDA said Morocco continues to deal with the global spread of the coronavirus but its grain sector remains open, reporting that mills are operating at full capacity, wheat imports are continuing, and ports remain operational.
To protect local wheat producers from foreign competition, the Moroccan government on May 12 announced an increase from 0% to 135% in common wheat duties and from 0% to 170% in durum wheat duties.
Overall, Moroccan agriculture operates through a mixed and integrated crop/livestock system, representing the main source of income for the majority of rural households. Most arable land and rangeland are located in areas receiving less than 400 mm of rainfall, where cereals and small ruminants mainly sheep are integral components of an extensive dryland production system. The following table presents the main farming systems.
