Morocco’s Drought Crisis Fuels Massive French Wheat Imports

The figures speak for themselves. According to Philippe Heusele, international director of Intercéréales, "French exporters will deliver about two-thirds of Morocco’s soft wheat needs, or around 3.5 million tons, during the 2025-2026 season." The French cereal organization published these estimates on Tuesday, October 7, reports the Reuters agency. In total, the kingdom should import nearly 5.5 million tons of soft wheat by the end of May 2026, according to the cross-checks of Moroccan traders and the French association Synacomex.

This strong dependence on imports is due to the persistent drought that has been hitting Morocco for more than six years. The national production of soft wheat is 2.4 million tons for the current season, an insufficient harvest to cover national needs. Despite this low production, Abdelkader Alaoui, president of the National Federation of Industrial Milling (FNM), is reassuring: "stocks remain at a comfortable level, covering more than three months of needs for industrial mills." Between June and September, Morocco has already imported 1.5 million tons of soft wheat, of which 996,368 tons from France, far ahead of the United States (94,688 tons), Russia (85,499 tons) and Lithuania (63,000 tons), according to data from the National Federation of Cereal and Legume Traders (FNCL).

Moroccan traders present at the Intercéréales conference in Casablanca stressed that the French harvest is favorably positioned "due to its availability and proximity to Moroccan ports, compared to other origins such as the Black Sea region or Argentina." This geographical proximity between the two shores guarantees a fluidity of exchanges and better responsiveness in case of urgent need. Operators note that this configuration "ensures Morocco a short-term supply stability, in a context of high volatility of world prices and unfavorable climatic conditions."

Moreover, Morocco is working to diversify its supply sources. Omar Yacoubi, president of the FNCL, specified that "Morocco is also observing offers from Russia, Germany, Poland and Argentina, where prices are particularly attractive." This diversification of supply sources aims to secure stocks while controlling costs.