🇲🇦MoroccoNorth Africa
Morocco's oilseed sector anticipates over 50,000 hectares cultivated this year, signaling recovery
via Le Matin5 min read
Morocco's oilseed sector is poised for a strong agricultural season this year, with cultivated areas expected to exceed 50,000 hectares, particularly for sunflower. This marks a significant recovery after seven years of severe drought. Mohammed El Baraka, president of the Interprofessional Federation of Oilseeds in Morocco FOLEA, expressed optimism at the International Agricultural Show of Meknes SIAM, attributing the positive outlook to exceptional rainfall. This record level of cultivation has not been seen since before the sector's liberalization. The return of rain alleviates uncertainties for a sector committed to ambitious 2030 goals outlined in its 2023 contract-program with the state. While the contractual framework is progressing, past droughts have impacted oilseed crops, causing delays in expanding dedicated agricultural areas. El Baraka noted that the sector is unlikely to return to its past highs of 200,000 hectares and 260,000 tons of production due to market liberalization. However, the new contract-program aims to meet 15% to 16% of national oilseed needs, a substantial increase from the current 1%. To revitalize the sector, FOLEA is establishing a technical center in Meknes, focusing on the upstream segment. This platform will aim to convince farmers to cultivate oilseeds by demonstrating the profitability of such investments. Agropol, a French association for international cooperation in oilseed and protein crop development, is providing technical assistance
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Matin.
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