Morocco’s agricultural policy focuses on prudent and strategic management of natural resources, increased modernization of agricultural practices, and openness to foreign markets, while strengthening resilience to climate change. These efforts place Morocco at the forefront of sustainable and resilient Agriculture in the MENA region.
Morocco’s agricultural policy, despite the challenges imposed by recurrent droughts and adverse climatic conditions, stands out for its robustness and adaptability, illustrating a model of resilience and innovation. It aims to maximize the productivity of Moroccan agriculture while preserving natural resources.
Indeed, in 2023, despite a decline in the quantities shipped, Morocco recorded a remarkable increase in revenues generated by exports of fresh vegetables. These brought in nearly $1.6 billion, marking an increase of 12% compared to the previous year and a jump of almost 50% compared to the five-year average.
This performance is all the more notable as the exported volume saw a drop of 14%, standing at 1.06 million tonnes, while showing an increase of 5% compared to the normal of the last five years. At the heart of this dynamic, greenhouse tomatoes played a leading role, representing almost three quarters of the kingdom’s total revenue from the export of fresh vegetables.
Despite harsh climatic conditions, with particularly high summer temperatures which reduced exports of these tomatoes by 11% to 660,000 tonnes, Morocco was able to maintain its position as the third world exporter of fresh tomatoes, behind Mexico and the -Low, with revenues around $1.2 billion.
Sweet peppers, still in second place in terms of export revenue, saw their volume increase by 4% to reach 174,000 tonnes, while their financial contribution soared by 55%, peaking at 230 million of dollars. This category of greenhouse vegetables demonstrates notable robustness on the international market. Next in the list of most lucrative vegetables, zucchini and pumpkins (although the latter represents a tiny fraction of the total) showed impressive stability in both volume and value. In 2023, Morocco exported 47,000 tonnes of these products, generating $45 million.
Greenhouse cucumbers took fourth position, enriching the Moroccan economy by $23 million. This category demonstrated the fastest growth, with a 60% increase in value compared to the previous year. This was followed by various herbs and greens, such as parsley and tarragon, which together brought in $14 million.
Carrots, onions, sweet corn, and various varieties of brassicas also made a significant contribution to export revenues, highlighting the diversity and resilience of the Moroccan horticultural sector in the face of climatic and economic challenges.
These results illustrate not only Morocco’s capacity for adaptation and competitiveness in the international fresh vegetable market, but also its potential to optimize the value of its exports despite volume reductions, a strategy that could serve as a model for d other economic sectors of the Kingdom.
Moroccan agricultural policy focuses on two major pillars: increasing agricultural added value for exports by supporting high value-added crops and supporting solidarity agriculture, aiming to improve the quality of life of small farmers. in mountainous or arid regions. At the same time, Morocco is gradually developing its organic and eco-responsible agriculture sectors, while integrating the climate dimension into its agricultural policies through plans to adapt to climate change.
Additionally, Morocco has opened international markets to farmers through free trade agreements with various partners, thereby boosting export revenues. These initiatives demonstrate Morocco’s capacity for adaptation and competitiveness on the international market while promoting sustainable and resilient agriculture. The Kingdom’s clear willingness to increase export revenues despite falling volumes is testament to the effectiveness of these strategies and could well serve as a model for other nations facing similar challenges.
Morocco is also proactive in integrating the climate dimension into its agricultural policies with the Climate Change Adaptation Plan in Agriculture. Launched recently, this plan aims to reduce the vulnerability of the agricultural sector to climate impacts through targeted actions. Use of predictive models and early warnings to anticipate climatic hazards and allow farmers to prepare and adapt accordingly.
