A good season for spring crops, the decline in agricultural GDP less than expected, namely 14%
The forecast production of the main cereals (soft wheat, durum wheat and barley) for the 2021/2022 agricultural campaign is estimated at 32 million quintals (Mqx), i.e. a drop of 69% compared to the previous campaign which recorded a production among the records, announces, Friday, the ministry of Agriculture, maritime fishing, rural development and water and forests.
This production results from a cereal area sown under this campaign of 3.6 million hectares of 3 cereal species, the ministry said in a press release.
By species, the forecast cereal production reached 17.6 Mqx of soft wheat, 7.5 Mqx of durum wheat and 6.9 Mqx of barley, the ministry said, adding that more than 60% of the production comes from areas favorable regions of Fez-Meknes and Rabat-Salé-Kenitra.
Cereals in irrigated areas only contributed regarding 20% to overall production, due partly to the limited irrigated area under cereals and partly to irrigation restrictions in the perimeters of large hydraulics. , observes the same source.
In addition, the ministry points out that the 2021/22 agricultural campaign recorded rainfall which reached 188 mm at the end of April 2022, a decrease of 42% compared to the average of the last 30 years (327 mm) and 35% compared to the previous campaign (289 mm) on the same date.
In addition to the low rainfall and its delay, the rainfall profile was also characterized by poor temporal and territorial distribution. Nearly 55% of total rainfall occurred in March and April and less than a third of precipitation occurred in November and December.
“The very low rainfall, or even its absence in several regions during the months of January and February, caused stress affecting the plant cover and a delay in the growth of autumn crops, especially cereals”, indicates the ministry.
This period, he continues, coincided with the tillering stage of cereals, a determining stage of development for the yields of these crops, noting that, consequently, this stress has induced a more or less significant drop in yields depending on the region. going as far as the loss of surface areas in certain areas. “It is in favorable bour areas in the north of the country that cereals experienced a good recovery in the spring following the rains of March and April, resulting in a catch-up in terms of productivity”, notes the ministry.
And to add that the monitoring by satellite images of the vegetation cover shows vegetation profiles that are generally close to the 2015-2016 agricultural campaign.
Apart from cereals, the other crops are showing a favorable state. Indeed, overall, the cumulative rains since the beginning of March have contributed to the restoration of the plant cover to normal levels and ensured the smooth running of spring crops.
Thus, it is expected that the sugar beet whose harvest has just started in several regions will record good yield performance. Citrus, olive and rosaceae in the flowering stage show good production prospects, although they remain dependent on the evolution of weather conditions, particularly the temperatures in May and June.
In addition, this last rainy episode in March and April favored a good establishment of spring crops and seasonal market gardening crops as well as their development under favorable conditions.
Exports recorded good growth, the statement said, adding that citrus exports during the current campaign have shown a remarkable increase compared to the previous campaign, reaching 711 thousand tons, once morest 549 thousand tons the previous campaign, i.e. an increase of 30%.
Similarly, positive performances were also observed for fruit and vegetable exports with an exported volume exceeding 1.5 million tonnes, an increase of 16% compared to the last campaign. This good performance is due in particular to the increase in exports of various vegetables (11%) and various fruits (63%) in particular grapes, peaches, nectarines, avocado and organic melon, apricot.
In addition, the press release underlines that the situation of the livestock sector, thanks to the support provided to breeders by the exceptional program to reduce the impact of the rainfall deficit, and the improvement of rangelands and fodder resources in the spring season, picked up significantly, allowing the sector’s performance to be maintained as a whole.
