Morocco Faces Water Crisis as Watermelon Exports Surge Amid Severe Drought

Watermelon exports to Europe have recorded an increase of 44,000 tons this year, a worrying figure according to the parliamentary group of the Justice and Development Party (PJD) which has called on the government to take the necessary measures to ban the cultivation of watermelons and limit its export.

For its part, the National Union of Labor in Morocco has called on the government to revise agricultural policies, particularly with regard to watermelon and avocado which consume a lot of water and are intended for export. It also calls for encouraging scientific studies to achieve optimal water resource management.

The government has taken measures to rationalize water use in critical areas. In particular, it has decided to ban the cultivation of red watermelon in these areas suffering from water shortages. A decision denounced by industry professionals who have asked for support to implement drip irrigation systems, more environmentally friendly.