Morocco rises as regional food security power desipte consecutive years of drought

Despite being in its sixth consecutive year of drought, Morocco continues to top exporters of fruits and vegetables, which according to experts will continue to observe an upward trend as the country bets on positioning itself as a a global food security  power.

Climate change is having a severe influence on Morocco’s farming sector, which accounts for 19% of the country’s GDP, resulting in lower crop and greater production costs due to the need for deeper well pumping.

Bearing in mind that the agricultural sector in Morocco consumes over 80% of the Kingdom’s water resources, the county, yet, has recorded significant volumes of agricultural produce this year.

Morocco, with a share of 65%, became the second-largest melon supplier to Spain in 2022/2023, with a volume of 78.76 million kilograms purchased, according to Hotoinfo.

Morocco’s watermelon sales in the European Union also increased by 248.8% in April 2023, surpassing Spain’s 2.62 million kilograms, ending Spain’s long-standing dominance in the market since 2016.

In addition, Morocco’s carrot exports to Spain increased significantly in 2022/2023, surpassing Belgium as the second-largest European exporter. Over 1,500 tons valued at 720,000 USD were exported, with the peak occurring in February-March.

As to Raspberries, Morocco surpassed Spain in volume shipments, with nearly 60,000 tons delivered between July 2022 and June 2023, driven by rising British consumer demand.

Moroccan blueberry exports also rose from 4th to 2nd spot in 2022/2023, primarily to Europe, with 37 foreign markets receiving shipments.

Morocco’s cucumber exports to the Portuguese market reached a record 17 times over four years, reaching over 2,000 tons in the 2022/23 season. Over the past three seasons, local growers have increased cucumber shipments to foreign markets, resulting in profits of 2.3 million dollars for Morocco.

Morocco’s avocado exports to Germany have increased fourfold since 2016/17, reaching 5,000 tonnes valued at $17 million, and Morocco’s share in Germany’s avocado imports reached 4.7% in 2022/23.

In 2022, olive oil exports reached 13,200 tons, a 47% increase from 2021, valued at 456 million Moroccan Dirhams, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water, and Forests.

“Halting exports is not viable. It is important to explore techniques that would help us preserve the same quantities of exports,” said Ali Charoud, a climate expert.

He emphasized that all countries rely on exports and imports for a balanced economy, and while drought may damage exports, parallel water policies are necessary to preserve them.

Morocco has implemented various strategies to cope with the challenges of drought and ensure the continuity of exports, including the construction of dams, desalination of seawater, and wastewater treatment.

These methods strengthen water reserves, ensuring that irrigation for crops does not come to a halt, explained Charoud.

In addition, “Morocco invested in developing and upgrading agricultural infrastructure, such as modern farming equipment, storage facilities, transportation, and logistics,” explained Amine Sami, an expert in strategic planning.

Sami explained that the challenges imposed by the drought prompted farmers along with the government to explore alternative strategies to develop the agricultural sector.

“The government adopted and promoted green and digital agricultural technologies, such as solar, wind energy, as well as satellite technology to improve water and resource efficiency,” noted the expert.

Lhoucine Aderdour an exporter and Head of the Federation of Exporters of Farm Products Fifel, also stressed that reducing the amount of exports is not feasible as “many countries strive to achieve significant export volumes.”

At the same time, the Ministry of Agriculture, underscored Aderdour, monitors daily exports, considering domestic market conditions, to maintain a balance between exports and imports. This helps ensure domestic market needs are met while meeting international market demands.

However, pertaining to olive oil, the Moroccan government has recently implemented restrictions on the export of olives and olive oil to control prices domestically.

Morocco exported more than 13,000 tons of olive oil in 2022. Rachid Benali, President of the Moroccan Confederation of Agriculture and Rural Development, explained that the current volume is actually low.

“It is significantly lower compared to normal years—referring to the years before drought—when we used to export more than 30,000 tons,” said Benali, in a statement to Hespress EN.

He estimated that the usual range for export volume was between 30,000 to 35,000 tons, however, this has changed due to the drought that our country has been experiencing.

“By discontinuing exports and focusing on the domestic market, we aim to maintain an affordable price for everyone and have better control over the price of olive oil in the local market, which is a necessary measure to ensure that the olive oil remains accessible to consumers within the country,” explained Benali.

Approaching this from a different angle, Morocco’s volume of exports plays a crucial role in advancing its geopolitical position.

“Food power is a key component in international relations and geostrategy, as it provides economic leverage for states, influences their reputation through well-known products, and contributes to the worldwide issue of food security,” explained Ahmed Khalid Benomar, an expert in geoeconomics.

“Morocco is increasingly asserting itself as a food power in Africa, showcasing its ability to provide a diverse range of products, including high-value processed goods,” added Benomar.

Morocco’s exports reinforce its geopolitical position, establishing it as a major agricultural and agro-industrial force, believes the expert, in a statement to Hespress EN.

Being part of a select group of countries with significant exports, said Benomar, helps Morocco to hold influence in international negotiations and the global agricultural agenda.

The future requires, yet, a balance between enhancing food power and fostering agriculture to effectively tackle national food security issues.