In response to an oral question in the House of Councilors on “the current agricultural season”, Mr. Sadiki pointed out that the latest rains have affected several regions and reached 90 mm until Monday, a decrease of 20% compared to to a normal year (110 mm), and an increase of 82% compared to the previous season (84.6 mm).
The Minister also noted that this rainfall will have a positive effect on the rhythm of autumn crops, fruit trees and fodder crops, as well as on dam reservoirs and groundwater reserves, noting that the waters of dams intended for agricultural purposes amounted to 3.23 billion cubic meters, representing a filling rate of regarding 24%, and a deficit rate of 25% compared to the previous season.
Regarding the measures taken for the current agricultural campaign, Mr. Sadiki indicated that the price subsidy for selected seeds amounted to 389 million dirhams, to secure 1.1 million quintals of selected seeds for the three main cereals, specifying that sales have reached, to date, 900,000 quintals, with prices subsidized at 30%, as well as sugar beet seeds for an area of 50,000 hectares.
Also, the national market will be supplied with nearly 650,000 tons of phosphate fertilizers, at the same price as last season, he added.
In addition, the minister said that 1.2 million hectares of cereals, pulses and oilseed crops have been insured (an increase of 200,000 hectares), in addition to 50,000 hectares of fruit trees.
At the level of agricultural production, fodder subsidies will continue according to the production sectors and the situation of each region, pointed out the Minister, noting that the quantities of subsidized fodder have reached, to date, 7 million quintals of barley and 2.1 million quintals of compound fodder.
He also reported on the continued expansion of water points for livestock watering depending on the region and the granting of exceptional support to the milk and red meat sectors.
Similarly, Mr. Sadiki noted that the programs and projects scheduled for 2023 focus in particular on the choice of resilient and efficient agricultural systems, the adoption of adaptation technologies through direct cultivation, the improvement of the attractiveness of the agricultural sector by encouraging investment and integrating young people, the diversification of markets as well as trade protection and strategic intelligence.
Regarding the progress of the current crop year, the Minister said that the areas of autumn crops plowed have so far reached 2.72 million hectares, and the cultivated area is 2.1 million. hectares, adding that the area cultivated with sugar beets reached 28.14 thousand hectares, while 1 thousand hectares were planted with sugar cane.
The area allocated to autumn vegetables amounted to 72,000 hectares, he said.
Furthermore, Mr. Sadiki estimated that dates will have to reach 110 thousand tons, olives 1.1 million tons and citrus fruits 1.6 million tons, noting that citrus exports fell by 39% compared to the previous campaign, while exports of early vegetables increased by 18%.
