Despite the Moroccan government's limitation of the areas where watermelons can be grown, which excluded for example the Zagoura region, a large watermelon region that is experiencing acute hydric stress, this season's watermelon volumes are expected to exceed the levels reached in 2022, according to Ahmed Bouljid, co-owner of the packing house Lexus.
"Watermelon producers have transferred their activities to the regions of Souss Massa, especially around Taroudant, and Larache, says Bouljid these are vast areas that have large reserves of groundwater, and the supply of water is not an issue. Some producers even transferred their operations to Mauritania and Senegal."
Bouljid adds: "The watermelon season in Morocco is not impacted this year. The weather conditions are not bad for this crop. The cold snap is over and temperatures are currently adequate. The recent rains, the long hours of sunshine, and the good level of photosynthesis, as well as the low duration of Jriha (a weather phenomenon in Morocco that freezes crops) in the watermelon areas, are all factors that augur well for a good yield."
"In terms of quality," continues the exporter, "I can assure with certainty that the taste of the watermelon will be very nice and sweet. Thanks to the good weather conditions, as I explained, the plants are not stressed. The sizes will also be very good, exceeding 8 kg".
The first crops will be ready for export at the end of April, and the calendars will be available until August, with the last crops coming from the Larache region (north), said Bouljid.
As for prices: "It is still too early to predict how the prices will be, it will depend on supply and demand," adds the exporter.
"In Lexus, we will put on the market a volume of 10,000 tons of watermelons of 8kg and more, grown in Taroudant and Larache, and a volume of 1,000 tons of yellow melon and cantaloupe embroidered and smooth. We do not have contracts for these volumes yet, but from experience, we expect to deliver to the Netherlands, France, Belgium, and the UK.
For more information:
Ahmed Bouljid & Slimani Tarik
Entrepôt Frigorifique Lexus
Tel: +212 661-177735 / Ahmed Bouljid
Tel: +212 661-944036 / Slimani Tarik
Email: bouljida@gmail.com