Morocco Expands Olive Groves: 4,200 Hectares Added in Northern Region

A program to develop 4,200 hectares of olive groves has been launched in Tetouan. With a projected cost of 7 million dirhams, this project is part of the development of the olive oil sector among small farmers, included in Pillar II of the Green Morocco Plan. The Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region has 10,000 hectares.

Through this program, the Moroccan government aims to convert non-cereal crop areas into olive plantations. This will promote the production of high-quality olives and olive oil that meets standards. The creation of more than 4,300 new jobs for the northern region alone is one of the objectives of this program, according to L’Économiste.

This program will start in the commune of Zinat with the perimeters of Mergab, Akharbachène, Akhanzirane, Lamrabet and Dar Nia. The newspaper specifies that it will benefit from an irrigation network, which will consist of reinforced concrete canals for water transport, manholes, intakes and will extend over several kilometers. These networks will improve the irrigation of olive trees, with a permanent water supply and without losses.

The objective is to double the current yield of 2 tons on average, i.e. 4 tons per hectare. The processed volume can reach 75,000 tons of olives, for a revenue of 60,000 dirhams per hectare. With a total area of 197,000 hectares, olive groves make the olive oil sector one of the key sectors of agriculture in the north.