Morocco’s Organic Farming Sector Triples in Size, Eyes Further Growth

Organic farming is booming in Morocco with 10,300 hectares of organic crops in 2020 compared to just 4,000 in 2011. "This is still well below the potential of an agricultural country like Morocco," explains Reda Tahiri, president of the Moroccan Union of Organic Farming Producers, noting a timid takeoff of organic production of olive, citrus and almond crops in the regions of Marrakech, Rabat or Souss-Massa.

To read: Morocco Aims to Expand Organic Farming Tenfold by 2030, Meeting Growing Demand

Morocco now intends to promote organic farming, considered a "priority" through the implementation of the Green Morocco Plan. In this perspective, the Ministry of Agriculture plans to experiment with organic farming on an area of 100,000 ha by 2030 and to achieve a production of 900,000 tons per year, destined for the local market (one third) and for export (two thirds). According to the Center for Applied Economic Research for Development, the kingdom was barely cultivating 1,200 hectares in 2013, of which 81 were dedicated to organic.

To read: article 76808

In 2020, Morocco exported only 14,000 tons of fresh (fruits and vegetables) and processed (citrus juices, frozen strawberries or olive oil) products out of nearly 130,000 tons, to the European Union, Canada, Switzerland or the United States. "We need to raise consumer awareness and increase the profit margins of producers if we want to promote organic," insists Reda Tahiri.