The apple is one of the most attractive agricultural sectors in the province of Sefrou due to its contribution to the promotion and strengthening of economic dynamics at the local level, with an annual turnover estimated at 4 million dirhams ( MDH).
According to data from the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture, the total planted area dedicated to apples in the province of Sefrou is approximately 5,900 hectares, or 45% of the area of fruit trees in the province, which is d ‘approximately 13,500 hectares. More than 14 varieties of apples are produced in the province of Sefrou, mainly in the communes of Imouzzer Kandar, Aït Sabaa Lajrouf Laânoucer, divided into early varieties which are harvested in September, and late varieties which are ready in November (Jeromine, Golden, Royal Gala…).
These apples are harvested manually between September and November, depending on the varieties. They are first placed in large crates with great care to avoid damage, then loaded into trucks to be transported to refrigeration units or to be sold directly in markets.
Favorable conditions
Apple cultivation has grown significantly in the mountainous areas of the province of Sefrou, thanks to favorable climatic conditions (cold in winter), a large refrigeration infrastructure made up of 31 refrigeration units with a capacity of 120,000 tonnes, as well as the abundance of land and irrigation water.
Among the factors that also contributed to the growth of this crop, the financial assistance provided by the state under the Agricultural Development Fund (FDA), with special support for drip irrigation, planting of trees, protective nets and the installation of cooling units which are supported in proportions ranging from 20 to 100%, depending on the number of hectares.
Positive dynamics
According to Bendriss El Amraoui Mohamed, head of the project execution department at the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture in Sefrou, the apple sector has recorded significant growth over the last decade, with an increase in the area planted with ‘around 1,500 hectares, as well as a doubling of production and an average yield of 25 tonnes per hectare, noting in the same context that the annual production of apples in the province of Sefrou is estimated at 148,000 tonnes.
The positive dynamics of the apple sector is due in particular to favorable climatic and geographical conditions, as well as to the experience accumulated by farmers in the technical management of this sector through the selection of varieties and the rational use of irrigation water and fertilizers, in addition to the availability of a large network of anti-hail generators (22 units), he explained.
For his part, the president of the Corolec cooperative in Imouzzer Kandar, Mohamed Jarrah, founded in 2010, declared that thanks to the partnership with the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture as part of the Maroc Vert program, the cooperative was able to build a unit refrigeration unit with a capacity of 1,500 tonnes.
The cooperative, which has 33 members, aspires to enhance and promote apple production by building two packaging and processing units, he said.
For his part, agricultural consultant Hamid Salhi urged farmers to select apple varieties that do not require high temperatures and do not take too long to ripen, noting that recent years have been marked by major climate change , which was mainly manifested by a decrease in cold temperatures and precipitation.
SN with agency / Les Inspirations ECO
