An absolute record temperature of 50.4 degrees Celsius was recorded in Morocco last Friday. The heat wave lasted several days and was accompanied by "Chergui," hot, dry winds from the Great Sahara, sandstorms, and wildfires. The impact on agricultural production is significant, according to professional sources, but varies from one crop to another. The biggest concern is for tomatoes and early vegetables, whose production is concentrated in the affected region.
Mustapha Aouragh, Ph.D. in agronomy and a tomato grower in the Souss Massa region, said: "The impact on tomatoes is huge. The temperature inside greenhouses reached 70 degrees, and entire areas were scorched. Growers whose plants were in the flowering stage lost 100% of their surfaces to sunburn. Others lost at least 25% of their volumes."
The grower continues: "We received warnings from the National Meteorological Directorate and the Ministry of Agriculture, and we spared no effort or precaution to save the crops, increasing irrigation, activating fog sprinklers, and installing shade nets. All these efforts were in vain, and we were helpless as our crops were burning in the unprecedented heat".
In addition to the loss of volumes and the subsequent financial hit, the heatwave will result in delaying the tomato campaign, originally scheduled for October. Aouragh says, "We have to replant the burnt areas, which implies an unforeseen demand for seeds and inputs. The delay could range from 20 days to a month, as the bulk of Moroccan tomato volumes are produced in the affected region".
The delay is also due to the fact that several growers in the region have begun to adopt new seeds resistant to phytosanitary diseases, which is expected to trigger a shortage of recently introduced seeds, according to professional sources.
Aouragh is calling for compensation for growers who have lost their crops: "The production costs and losses are heavy in an already economically fragile sector. We are dealing here with a case of natural force majeure, which requires the intervention of the government to save the producers, especially the most small-scale ones."
This is the first time in history that the temperature in Morocco has exceeded 50 degrees Celsius. The record temperature was registered in the Souss Massa region, one of Morocco's agricultural strongholds, where much of the country's tomato, early vegetable, soft fruit, stone fruit, and seasonal fruit production is located.
For more information:
Aouragh Mustapha
Tel: +212661938200
Email: aouraghmustapha9@gmail.com