Morocco’s olive canning sector has improved in recent months after an olive harvest estimated at close to 2 million tonnes, the agriculture ministry said, easing raw material shortages that forced some processors to rely on imports last season.
Industry operators said the stronger agricultural season has allowed modern plants and traditional units to work steadily based on orders, with key demand coming from outside the domestic market, including clients in the United States, Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
The rebound follows two years of intensified drought that weakened production and raised costs across the sector, including olive oil. Producers are still harvesting this season, professionals said, citing both abundant supply and a shortage of farm labor that is slowing picking and processing.
Unlike last year, processors say they are not expected to import raw olives for re export as finished products. The ministry had previously opened consultations with professionals on support measures aimed at protecting agro food industries, safeguarding the olive value chain and preserving processing capacity.
Boubker Ayyad, a sector professional in the Marrakech Safi region, told Hespress conditions are favorable thanks to abundant supply and “reasonable” prices compared with last season. He said olives for canning have dropped sharply to between 5 and 9 dirhams per kilogram, with some varieties reaching 12 dirhams.
Mustapha El Hansali, a member of the Timat agricultural cooperative in Azilal province, gave a similar account, saying higher productivity helped actors secure significant volumes of raw material. He said purchase costs fell from about 20 dirhams per kilogram to around 10 to 12 dirhams, benefiting both modern and traditional processing units.
El Hansali said the “beldi” variety remains the most sought after in the domestic market. He added that traditional, additive free preservation methods can take four to six months before the new product is ready for consumption.
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