As part of his intervention before the Commission on Productive Sectors, the Minister of Agriculture affirmed on Wednesday June 5, 2024 that the legal framework regulating the wholesale marketing of fruits and vegetables has become obsolete, noting that the law governing this activity dates back to 1962. ”This is detrimental and impacts the competitiveness of these agricultural sectors,” he points out. The minister also referred to wholesale market infrastructure, describing it as ‘weak’ and ‘worn’, with very few services associated with it.
Furthermore, Mr. Sadiki said that agricultural value chains produce 12.3 million tonnes of fruits and vegetables annually. ”Our objective is to reach 20 million tonnes per year,” he specifies. Regarding the cultivated agricultural areas, the minister indicated that these do not exceed 800,000 hectares, ensuring that efforts are being made to achieve the cultivation of 1 million hectares, notably through intensification and replanting.
National markets receive 9.7 million tonnes of fruits and vegetables produced (80%) across the Kingdom, while around 2 million tonnes (16%) are intended for export. The remaining 4% is used in manufacturing industries. However, Mr. Saddiki pointed out that only 3.5 million tonnes of fruits and vegetables pass through wholesale markets and that 6 million tonnes are sold outside of said markets.
