Morocco Cracks Down on Illegal Watermelon Farming in Zagora Province

"A commission has been set up to carry out field checks and, in this context, several farms have been subject to unannounced inspections in recent days," reports Al Akhbar, specifying that the said commission is touring the watermelon and yellow melon producing areas in the province. The operation has led to "muscular" interventions in some farms where violations of the regulations in force have been observed. Equipment has been deployed on these sites to destroy the plantations and hydraulic installations set up to develop this crop.

This "shock" operation should "continue in the coming days, targeting other areas where watermelon cultivation is popular," informs the daily, adding that "this campaign is part of the implementation of the provisions of the prefectural decree of October 31, 2023, which regulates highly water-consuming crops." According to this text, the area dedicated to the cultivation of watermelons or melons cannot exceed 1 hectare per farmer. Moreover, these crops are prohibited in areas close to water basins, such as oases or wadis.

The decree also provides for the establishment of local commissions responsible for monitoring the water meters of wells and ensuring the amount of water consumed throughout the agricultural cycle. It is in application of this provision that a "commission composed of representatives of the municipalities, the auxiliary forces, the gendarmerie and the office in charge of agricultural investments in the Ouarzazate region has been set up," the publication informs, recalling that faced with the severe drought affecting the province, "several voices have been raised to denounce the proliferation in the region of certain crops that consume a lot of water, such as watermelon."