Morocco Bans Watermelon Farming in Drought-Stricken Region to Conserve Water

Watermelon producers are facing a severe water shortage this season due to the "water depletion" affecting the Drâa-Tafilalet region, the largest watermelon growing area in Morocco. Realizing this situation, the Ministry of the Interior quickly organized a series of special meetings for the Zagora region, at the end of which it decided to temporarily suspend the cultivation of red watermelon for one year in the region, in order to significantly reduce water consumption and protect water resources against depletion, particularly in the difficult climatic conditions the country is going through.

In a previous proposal, the Ministry of the Interior recommended reducing the cultivated area of red watermelons from 5,000 hectares to only 2,000 hectares for the next season. It has also put in place a plan to manage the water resources used for the irrigation of this crop throughout the year. But this measure is not well received by the farmers and growers of Drâa-Tafilalet, who are already suffering from difficult economic conditions. They fear that the suspension of watermelon cultivation will worsen their difficulties, as this crop is an essential source of income for many families in the region.

In April, the season started well, with a harvest in Zagora, but lower quantities than the previous season were recorded in the region, according to Fresh Plaza, attributing this decline to production restrictions related to the drought. However, the quantities produced were sufficient for the local market and exports, and especially of good quality. "We have encountered major quality problems with watermelons in these regions, including a virus that causes watermelons to burst or rot, which has led to the end of the season. There are no more watermelons available on local or export markets," said an exporter. According to exporters, the current watermelon production season is largely based on the Gharb harvest, a more stable region in terms of quantities.

"The region was affected by poor quality last year, which discouraged farmers from growing this fruit to avoid further spread of the virus," said a grower from the Gharb region. He will continue: "Some farmers have continued and expect a harvest in the coming days. The result will either encourage more crops for the summer season or abruptly end the season. [...] In any case, it is a season to forget for watermelons, the days of abundance when the surplus of watermelons was used to feed livestock are over." From a source in the watermelon industry in Agadir, the Zagora production is over, and the Moroccan season continues with the production of the Agadir and Taroudant regions.