Northern provinces in Morocco recorded significant rainfall in recent days, bringing relief to residents of mountain areas known for olive cultivation and adding more than 4 million cubic meters of water to the region’s reservoirs in less than a week, according to local authorities.
Farmers in the olive-producing districts of the Rif had been waiting for the rain to begin harvesting, as precipitation softens the fruit and improves oil quality. The recent showers are expected to accelerate picking operations across the region.
Sadek Stitou, head of an Economic Interest Group in the province of Ouezzane, said the rainfall arrived at a critical moment for the sector. “The rain has many benefits, especially for olive trees. It will make the harvesting process easier and more natural,” he told Hespress AR.
Stitou said the olives were in urgent need of moisture to allow for natural oil extraction and better output. After a hot summer, he explained, the fruit tends to be small and dry, complicating the pressing process and requiring higher temperatures that reduce oil quality.
He noted that the group he oversees includes eight cooperatives representing 245 olive-producing farmers in Ouezzane. “The rain increases the quality of the oil and strengthens the trees’ productivity. Farmers will begin harvesting intensively within 24 hours, as olive trees benefit quickly from rainfall,” he said.
Beyond agricultural gains, the recent wet weather also improved groundwater and reservoir levels in the vast Loukkos basin, which recorded the highest precipitation levels nationwide.
Official data shows that between Nov. 13 and 17, the basin’s total dam reserves increased by roughly 4 million cubic meters, reaching 866.5 million cubic meters, up from 862 million just days earlier.
Water officials in the Tangier–Tetouan–Al Hoceima region expressed optimism that continued rainfall in the coming weeks will further replenish dam reserves and increase overall storage capacity.
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