This figure has led to a drastic fall in the number of imports

Marruecos bate su récord de producción de trigo en 2021

photo_camera PHOTO/AFP - Man displaying grain from the field

The latest report from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reflects good news for Morocco. According to the latest data published, the Alawi kingdom has broken its record wheat production figure, causing a significant reduction in the number of imports needed in this sector. The Kingdom will thus see a significant saving in its coffers as it is estimated that it will require only four and a half tonnes of hard and soft wheat for the coming year. This compares favourably with Morocco's requirements for the 2020-2021 season, just over five million tonnes.

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One of the main reasons for the significant increase in wheat production is the amount of rain that has irrigated the fields, as the USDA report notes: "This performance is mainly due to abundant rainfall during the cereal growing season". Chau'iya, Abda, Haouz and Saiss were the four regions that benefited the most from the rains. All four recorded an increase of at least 44% in their yields compared to the data of the last ten years in the same locations.

The result of this increase has been a record production of 103 million quintals, an increase of 221% over the previous year's campaign. The Moroccan government has assured that the increase has been occurring gradually for the last five years, although it is clear that this year's growth is even beyond the best forecasts. Nor should it be forgotten that, despite the great data provided by the USDA report, Morocco will not be able to fully cover its demand for wheat.

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The country now led by Aziz Ajanuch is the third largest wheat consumer on the entire African continent with around 10 million tonnes a year. It is only surpassed by Egypt - 21.1 million tonnes - and Algeria, the largest importer for the last fifteen years. As alternatives to obtain the rest of the soft wheat required by Morocco, France, Ukraine and Russia are presented. In the case of hard wheat, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, the most accessible is the Canadian market, as the Americans are currently in the process of being able to do so.

In fact, the USDA also indicates that the National Interprofessional Office for Cereals and Pulses (ONICL), in charge of managing the supply of the cereal market, has issued a new call for tenders for the purchase of 363,636 tonnes of soft wheat from the United States. There is some optimism despite the rejection of a similar request in August. Moreover, it should be borne in mind that the wheat market is going through a very high point of inflation due to poor harvests caused by the drought, quite the opposite of what is happening in Morocco, which has hit important markets such as Canada.
 

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