The Moroccan Ministry of Agriculture has said there are "good prospects" for the current agricultural campaign.
"The latest rainfall will have a positive impact on fruit trees and vegetable plantations and will increase the country's water reserves and contribute to saving irrigation water," explained the same source. The water reserves on 27 February reached 7,320 million cubic metres.
The Moroccan Ministry called on producers to maintain the main crops through practices such as the use of fertilisers, the application of phytosanitary treatments or the making of preparations for the spring crops.
Exports
The Moroccan Ministry also reported that horticultural product exports reached 512,862 tonnes on 23 February, a 6% drop compared to the same period last year. This is mostly the result of the cold spell recorded in December and January, which took a toll on the crops.
Tomato exports, which account for 63% of all horticultural product sales, also recorded a 5% drop and stood at 319,373 tonnes. However, citrus exports reached 462,241 tonnes in the same period, an increase of 15%.
The agricultural sector is one of the pillars of the Moroccan economy, contributing at least 14% of the national GDP, and is also the main provider of employment in the country.
The Moroccan government expects its economy to grow by 4.5% this year thanks to the prospects of a good agricultural campaign, compared to only 1.6% growth in 2016, which was mostly the result of the country's severe drought.
Source: efeagro.com
