A surprising storm accompanied by violent winds struck the Souss Massa region, one of Morocco's main fresh fruit and vegetable production centers, at the end of February. The damage to crops and greenhouses across the region "is catastrophic and shocking," according to growers' representatives.
© Agricultural Chamber Souss Massa
Never-before-seen losses in crops and greenhouses
Ahmed Afkir, a grower from Chtouka Ait Baha, recounts: The storm was as brief as it was violent, lasting just over an hour, around 6:30 p.m. on February 26. Winds blew at up to 100 km/h, destroying greenhouses across a wide area, including Chtouka Ait Baha, Belfaa, Inchadn, Biougra, Houara, Ait Amira, Sidi Bibi, and others. The damage is catastrophic. I have never seen damage on such a scale in my thirty years of experience."
The damage varies from one producer to another according to the initial census carried out by growers' associations and the local chamber of agriculture, but covers a large area of thousands of hectares of greenhouses blown away by the strong winds.
"Growers are trying to harvest as quickly as possible and save what they can before the rains arrive. It will not be easy to recover, meaning a premature end to the season for many growers," Afkir continues.
The losses affect several products, including early vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, and beans, as well as soft fruits. The storm has exacerbated the phytosanitary problems that were already limiting the production of round tomatoes. "We can expect shortages on the local and export markets, which will be felt in the coming weeks," Afkir warns.
© Agricultural Chamber Souss Massa
After the storm destroyed greenhouses, rain and hail further damaged unprotected crops. Afkir says, "The weather is exceptionally harsh, but the damage caused by rain and hail has been limited so far. The short periods of rain yesterday and today (March 2 and 3) were followed by sunny weather, which mitigated the damage."
Youssef Jebha, president of the Souss-Massa Chamber of Agriculture, said following field visits and an emergency meeting of growers' associations that the damage extends to several localities in the Souss-Massa region, including Taroudant, Tata, and Tiznit, as well as localities with a high density of greenhouses such as Chtouka Ait Baha.
"We have appointed a commission to assess the damage and formulate the growers' claims. We can say at this stage that the damage is very shocking and extensive. We have never seen anything on this scale. Many growers are so demoralized that they cannot even bring themselves to visit their farms," Jebha adds.
© Agricultural Chamber Souss Massa
Plastic shortage
The growers' representative warned of a shortage of plastic used in greenhouse construction, as well as a labor shortage, complicating the replacement of greenhouses.
In the same statement, Jebha called on the government to declare the region an "agricultural disaster area" and to release subsidies for the rebuilding of greenhouses, among other demands.
At present, delays in plastic procurement exceed one week, with the risk of the manufacturers running out of raw materials, further extending delays. Growers are already qualifying the situation as a plastic shortage.
"We are concerned about the effects of the war in the Middle East. All costs will skyrocket, including insurance, plastic, fertilizers, chemicals, and logistics. We are already beginning to feel a shortage of plastic, steel wire, and nets used in greenhouse construction," explains Amine Amanatoullah, a grower in the Agadir region.
Under these conditions, the premature end of the season will be followed by a late start to the next season. "Even if we have the means, we will not be able to start the next season on time in this context of shortages," he continues.
"Our customers, already warned of these losses, are starting to look for alternative sources for their programs," Amantoullah concludes.
For more information:
Ahmed Afkir
Pépinière Serwa
Tel: +212661238852
Youssef Jebha
Agricultural Chamber of Souss Massa
Tel: +212528230928
Email: [email protected]
Amine Amantoullah
Fastexpo
Tel: +212 661 281321
Email: [email protected]
