HIBAPRESS – Ahmed Al-Musaed
With the arrival of April each year, attention turns towards the farms of "Tazaghin" in the Zakzoul commune in the Berkane province, where the harvest of the "Mizah" hawthorn fruit begins, which enjoys widespread fame that extends beyond local borders to compete nationally and internationally thanks to its unique flavor and distinctive natural characteristics.
Farmers in the region confirm that "Mizah Tazaghin" sits atop the throne of quality, considering it "the best in the world" when fully ripe. Despite competition from other regions, what distinguishes the Tazaghin product is the "taste" that surpasses the standards of shape and size.
Professionals indicate that the "Long" variety is one of the best types in the region, being a solid variety that resists weather fluctuations such as rain and wind, and the rainfall increases the beauty and ripeness of the fruit, which raises its marketing value in the price exchange.
The distinction in Tazaghin is not limited to the quality of the trees only, but extends to a strict harvesting "protocol" that resembles dealing with sensitive fruits such as strawberries, where farmers are keen on careful manual harvesting: to avoid "impact" that may spoil the fruit; maintaining the natural membrane: keeping the thin "dusty" layer that covers the fruit and leaving part of the "cluster" (column), which are techniques that ensure the fruit remains fresh and fit for consumption for a longer period during transport and marketing.
Despite the high quality, the current season recorded a relative decline in production quantities compared to previous years, and the farmers attribute this decline to the drought crisis and the lack of water resources, as many of them were forced to bear additional costs by purchasing irrigation water to save the crops, which affected the yield, which ranged in good years between 2.5 and 3 tons for medium-sized farms.
At the marketing level, local markets are witnessing a positive boom this season, where the prices of "Mizah" of the high-quality variety ranged between 15 and 20 dirhams per kilogram, while the other varieties (Dish) retain their customers and reasonable prices, which reflects the increasing demand for this product which has become a registered trademark that the region is proud of.
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