Bank Al-Maghrib projects a slight increase in Morocco’s grain harvest to 35 million quintals, still below government expectations of 70 million. Recent weather improvements allowed reservoir levels to rise, but experts warn of ongoing water crisis issues, particularly in central and southern regions.
Bank Al-Maghrib (BAM) announced expectations of a slight increase in Morocco’s grain harvest to 35 million quintals for the current season, an improvement from last year’s 31.2 million quintals but still far below the previous year’s 55.1 million. Governor Abdellatif Jouahri attributed this expected harvest to an overall growth in the agricultural sector’s added value by 2.5%, including rises in non-grain agricultural production.
Previously, BAM had anticipated a potential harvest of 50 million quintals based on favorable rainfall; however, this estimate has been revised down. The government set an ambitious target of 70 million quintals in its finance law projections, showcasing a significant disparity in expectations.
Recent weather has improved conditions, with heavy rainfall and snowfall observed, leading to a 35% filling rate of dam reservoirs compared to last year’s 26%. Despite this relief for farmers, especially those cultivating autumn grains, experts are concerned that these favorable conditions aren’t sufficient to address the long-term water crisis that Morocco faces.
Professor Mohammed-Said Karrouk from Hassan II University cautioned that while the recent rainfall offers temporary hope, Morocco’s historical context reveals a persistent issue of drought. He highlighted that the heaviest rainfall benefitted northern regions less affected by drought, whereas the central and southern regions continue to endure water scarcity issues.
BAM’s projection of a 35 million quintals grain harvest illustrates slight progress over last year’s yield but remains substantially below government expectations. Although recent rainfall has led to better reservoir levels, experts caution that this relief won’t sufficiently mitigate the underlying water crisis plaguing the country. Historical drought patterns indicate that substantial challenges remain for Morocco’s agricultural sector.
Original Source: www.moroccoworldnews.com
