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 posed by frequent droughts and adverse climatic conditions, stands out for its robustness and adaptability, reflecting a model of flexibility and innovation. Its objective is to maximize the productivity of Moroccan agriculture while preserving natural resources.
Indeed, in 2023, despite a decline in shipping volumes, Morocco recorded a significant increase in revenues generated from fresh vegetable exports. The latter saw investments of approximately $1.6 billion, representing a 12% increase over the previous year and nearly 50% compared to the five-year average.
This performance is all the more remarkable as the export volume witnessed a decline of 14% to 1.06 million tonnes, as against a normal comparison of the last five years which saw a growth of 5%. At the center of this dynamism, greenhouse tomatoes played a leading role, representing almost three-quarters of the state’s total revenues from fresh vegetable exports.
Despite harsh climatic conditions, especially high summer temperatures, exports of these tomatoes declined by 11% to 660,000 tons, leaving Morocco as the third world exporter of fresh tomatoes, after Mexico and Brazil, with revenues of approximately $1.2. I was able to maintain my position. Arab.
Sweet peppers, still in second place in terms of export revenues, saw their volumes increase by 4% to 174,000 tonnes, while their financial contribution increased by 55% to $230 million. This range of greenhouse vegetables shows remarkable strength in the international market. Next on the list of the most profitable vegetables, zucchini and pumpkin (although the latter represents a small share of the total) showed impressive stability in both volume and value. In 2023, Morocco exported 47,000 tons of these products, generating $45 million.
Greenhouse cucumbers took fourth place, enriching Morocco’s economy by $23 million. This category displayed the fastest growth with a 60% increase in value over the last year. Next came various herbs and green vegetables, such as parsley and tarragon, bringing the total to $14 million.
Carrots, onions, sweet corn and various varieties of brassicas also contributed significantly to export revenues, highlighting the diversity and resilience of Morocco’s horticulture sector in the face of climate and economic challenges.
These results reflect not only Morocco’s capacity for adaptation and competitiveness in the international fresh vegetable market, but also its ability to optimize the value of its exports despite volume reductions, a strategy that has been successful in other economic sectors of the kingdom. Can serve as a model for.
Morocco’s agricultural policy focuses on two key pillars: increasing agricultural added value for export by supporting high value-added crops and supporting solidarity agriculture, which aims to improve the quality of life of small farmers in mountainous or arid areas. At the same time, Morocco is gradually developing its organic and environmentally-responsible agricultural sectors, while integrating the climate dimension into its agricultural policies through climate change adaptation plans.
Additionally, Morocco has opened international markets to farmers through free trade agreements with various partners, which has increased export revenues. These initiatives demonstrate Morocco’s capacity for adaptation and competitiveness in the international market while promoting sustainable and resilient agriculture. The Kingdom’s apparent desire to increase export revenues despite falling volumes is evidence of the effectiveness of these strategies and can serve as a model for other countries facing similar challenges.
Morocco is also active in integrating the climate dimension into its agricultural policies with a climate change adaptation plan in agriculture. This recently launched scheme aims to reduce the sensitivity of the agriculture sector to climate impacts through targeted actions. The use of predictive models and early warnings to predict climate-related hazards and allow farmers to prepare and adapt accordingly.