Morocco to extend wheat campaign in 2024
Morocco will offer subsidies to ensure the importation of around 2.5 million metric tons of wheat at the beginning of 2024, according to Reuters November 30.
With regards to wheat, the North African country has had to rely on the bringing in of the grain from overseas due to long periods of droughts and heatwaves.
On August 13, a national record of 50.4C was reported in the southern city of Agadir by the Moroccan meteorological service.
Neighbouring countries such as Tunisia and Algeria have also endured harsh heatwaves over the summer period with the latter seeing forest fires in its Kabylia region, causing the death of dozens and mass displacement.
READ: Heat tolerant wheat crop gives Moroccan farmers hope
Tunisia has also had an agricultural problem of their own resulting in them being reliant on imports which have further strained their lacklustre economy.
L’ Office National Interprofessionnel des Cereales et des Legumineuses (ONICL), the Rabat-based state grain agency said that the extension scheme to import masses of wheat from January to April next year was approved by the finance and agriculture ministries.
Traders had expected the import scheme to continue for a lengthy period of time given that a shipments so far have lagged volumes available under the subsidy schemes, and with low rainfall again creating uncertainty about the kingdom’s next harvest.
New methods of growing wheat have given Moroccan farmers hope as the sector faces a period of uncertainty.
In October, research concluded that heat tolerant varieties of wheat grown in Morocco have produced the same yields with just half of the rainfall usually required.
Reuters/ONICL
