Agriculture in Morocco

Agriculture in Morocco is very important because it gives jobs to many workers. In the rainy northwest areas, people grow barley, wheat, and other grains without needing extra water. On the Atlantic coast, wide open spaces are used to grow olives, citrus fruits, and wine grapes with water from deep wells. The country also raises livestock, and forests provide materials like cork and wood. Some people living near the sea depend on fishing, with important ports such as Agadir, Essaouira, El Jadida, and Larache.

Morocco also grows oranges, tomatoes, potatoes, and makes olive oil. These high-quality products are often sold to Europe. While Morocco can feed most of its own people, it needs to import grains, sugar, coffee, and tea, mainly from the United States and France.

For many years, farming in Morocco did not have to pay taxes, which helped the industry grow. However, in 2014, the government decided that bigger farming companies would start paying taxes, aiming to balance support for all farmers.

Production

Morocco grew many important crops in 2018. Some of these include:

7.3 million tons of wheat, making it one of the largest producers in the world.
3.7 million tons of sugar beet, used to make sugar and ethanol.
2.8 million tons of barley, ranking among the top producers.
1.8 million tons of potato.
1.5 million tons of olive, the 3rd largest producer.
1.4 million tons of tomato, ranking among the top producers.
1.2 million tons of tangerine, the 4th largest producer.
1 million tons of orange, ranking among the top producers.
And many other crops like onion, watermelon, apple, and banana.

The country also grows smaller amounts of many other agricultural products.

Main products

Below is a table of the agricultural output of Morocco according to estimates of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. Data is from 2009:^{[needs update]}

Rank	Commodity	Value (Int $1000)	Production (MT)	Quantity world rank	Value world rank
1	Wheat	939,150	6,400,000	19	17
2	Indigenous chicken meat	635,889	446,424	NA	NA
3	Olives	616,541	770,000	6	6
4	Tomatoes	480,433	1,300,000	17	17
5	Indigenous cattle meat	433,257	160,384	NA	NA
6	Cow milk, whole, fresh	409,566	1,750,000	NA	NA
7	Barley	389,709	3,800,000	12	7
8	Indigenous sheep meat	325,935	119,706	NA	NA
9	Almonds, with shell	307,240	104,115	5	5
10	Oranges	231,910	1,200,000	14	14
11	Potatoes	230,032	1,500,000	NA	NA
12	Hen eggs, in shell	221,666	267,267	NA	NA
13	String beans	173,716	182,180	3	3
14	Grapes	171,485	300,000	NA	NA
15	Apples	169,166	400,000	NA	NA
16	Strawberries	168,627	124,239	11	11
17	Onions, dry	136,521	650,000	23	23
18	Other melons (inc.cantaloupes)	134,386	730,000	8	8
19	Tangerines, mandarins, clem.	128,945	522,000	12	12
20	Anise, badian, fennel, corian.	127,126	23,000	7	7
Source: UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) 2009 data:

Reform

The agricultural sector in Morocco has big challenges. It is greatly affected by weather changes and the need to compete fairly with other countries, especially the EU. Agriculture makes up about 15% of the country's economy and employs almost half of the people. Many poor people live in rural areas, which leads some to move to cities or try to go to Europe.

There have also been concerns about how farm workers are treated. Some workers face unfair treatment and serious issues, which need to be addressed to make conditions better for everyone.

Land

Agricultural terraces in Anti-Atlas mountains

Morocco has lots of land for farming. About 85,000 square kilometres can grow crops, and one-seventh of this land can get water. The weather there is usually mild, like in the Mediterranean climate, which is good for farming. Morocco can grow enough food to feed most of its people in a normal year, mainly wheat, barley, and corn. The country also sells fruits and vegetables to Europe and makes wine. Farmers are growing more crops like cotton, sugarcane, and sunflowers, and are trying new crops like tea and soybeans in places like the fertile Gharb plain. Morocco is also working on ways to bring more water to farms so even more land can grow food.

Drought

Drought is a big worry for farmers in Morocco, especially where they grow cereals like wheat and barley. These areas get different amounts of rain each year, making it hard to plan for farming. Morocco faces a drought about every three years, which makes it tricky to grow enough food.

Hashish

Morocco is the biggest seller in the world of a special plant product that many people misuse. This product comes from a plant called cannabis.

Even though rules say this trade is not allowed, it keeps growing. Areas where this plant is grown have spread to new places.

Livestock

In Morocco, many people raise animals such as sheep and cattle. The country makes enough meat for its own needs and is trying to produce more dairy products, like milk and cheese, for everyone to enjoy.

Forests

Morocco’s forests cover about one-tenth of its land, not including Moroccan Sahara. These forests are important for the country. In the Middle and High Atlas mountains, forests are used to get timber. The country grows eucalyptus trees, which help make charcoal for cooking and provide materials for paper and cellulose industries. Morocco also exports paper pulp and cork from its cork oak forests.

Fishing

Main article: Fishing industry in Morocco

The waters near Morocco's west coast, called the Canary Current, are full of fish like sardines, bonito, and tuna. Morocco does not have enough modern boats or factories to use these fish well. In 1996, Morocco made an agreement with the European Union. In this agreement, the EU pays Morocco each year to let their boats, mostly from Spain, fish in Morocco's waters.

Agriculture in Morocco