Early vegetable growers in the Souss Massa region, particularly around Agadir, are still struggling to recover from the storm in late February that caused widespread destruction of greenhouses. In the pepper industry, this has led to a significant shortfall in supply and difficulties in meeting export targets.
© Agricultural Chamber Souss Massa
Obeida Mansour, CEO of Universal Peppers, describes a concerning situation: "The damage is extensive, with widespread losses to greenhouses. Reconstruction has been slow due to shortages of plastic and labor. It took a long time to obtain plastic from the factories, more than two weeks. Seasonal workers have also demanded exorbitant prices for reinstalling the plastic, up to 30,000 MAD instead of the usual 5,000 MAD."
Reinstalling the greenhouses has been the main concern since the storm, according to Mansour. "Several producers have even neglected the harvest to focus entirely on rebuilding their greenhouses."
The shortfall in supply quickly began to be felt in both the local and export markets. According to Mansour, the volume of bell peppers and Kapi is currently down by half. "In addition to the fruit lost to the storm, there is also unharvested fruit and fruit that does not reach maturity. Production has dropped by 50%, resulting in soaring prices in the local market, while exporters can't source peppers or fulfill their commitments," he continues.
"It will take no less than three weeks to recover in terms of rebuilding the greenhouses. We're also seeing the weather improve, with temperatures at 32 degrees during the day and 16 degrees at night, which is optimal for peppers. We hope to finish the season on a high note," the producer concludes.
For more information:
Obeida Mansour
Universal Peppers
Tel: +212663612461
Email: [email protected]
