Morocco Aims to Boost Date Production, Reduce Reliance on Imports by 2030

Between October 2023 and March 2024, Morocco imported 103,000 tons of dates during the 2023-2024 season, almost the same volume compared to the same period of the previous season, exceeding the average imports over the three seasons preceding the last one, reports EastFruit, specifying that the kingdom sources about 90% from the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria. The United Arab Emirates is the main seller.

The final figures for the current season could, however, be slightly lower than those of the previous one, due to an increase in local production. In Morocco, local date production has seen a slight increase of 7% in 2023, reaching around 115,000 tons, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture. Furthermore, Morocco intends to significantly increase its date production to reach 300,000 tons by 2030. Last year, a program contract was signed in this sense during the International Agricultural Fair in Morocco (SIAM).