Morocco Expects Record Date Harvest for 2025-2026 Agricultural Season
Morocco is poised to register an exceptional date harvest for the 2025-2026 agricultural season. According to Ahmed El Bouari, Minister of Agriculture, national production is expected to reach 160,000 tonnes, representing a 55% increase compared to the previous season.
Factors Contributing to the Success
This performance can be attributed primarily to favorable climatic conditions and efforts to modernize the date palm sector. The combination of these factors has enabled Moroccan farmers to significantly boost their production.
Reducing Dependence on Imports
Beyond meeting local market demand, this progress demonstrates the authorities' willingness to reduce the country's dependence on imports. According to the Moroccan Foreign Exchange Office, date imports reached 138,000 tonnes between 2022 and 2024, with a value of 2.46 billion dirhams. The increase in local production could therefore mitigate this dependence while supporting the income of oasis zone farmers.
Challenges Ahead
However, significant challenges remain. Professionals in the sector remind us that the medium-term objective is to increase national production to 300,000 tonnes by 2030. To achieve this, it will be necessary to:
- Strengthen irrigation infrastructure
- Improve the quality of local varieties
- Develop processing units capable of enhancing the value of Moroccan dates on international markets
By addressing these challenges, Morocco can capitalize on its record date harvest and make significant strides in becoming a major player in the global date market.
