The Ministry of Agriculture reassures about the 2023-24 agricultural campaign.

HIBAPRESS-RABAT-MA

The Ministry of Agriculture has just revealed that the 2023/24 agricultural campaign is part of a climatic sequence of five very difficult years. The temporal distribution of precipitation was characterized by a delay in rain leading to a long drought at the start of the season, negatively affecting the sowing of autumn crops. In the sown areas, the cereal emergence stage from November was marked by the scarcity of rains, which impacted the growth and development of the crops planted. The episode of rains recorded from February also favored the tillering and rising of cereals, particularly in the northern regions of the Atlas Mountains and Oued Oum Rabii.

The significant variation in minimum and maximum temperatures which marked the campaign led to disruptions in crop production cycles. Thus, the rise in temperatures during the month of November, combined with the lack of rain, accentuated water stress in several cereal-growing areas of the Kingdom and caused significant losses in cereal crops, particularly in the Casablanca-Settat region.

The national cumulative rainfall as of May 22, 2024 is nearly 237 mm, down 31% compared to a normal campaign (349 mm) and an increase of 9% compared to the previous campaign (217 mm) on the same date. . The filling rate of dams for agricultural use nationally is around 31%, compared to 30% the previous campaign on the same date. Apart from the Gharb and Loukkos regions where irrigation was maintained at a correct level, the other large areas suffered severe restrictions or even a cessation of irrigation.