Olive oil becomes a luxury in Morocco

In El Kelâa des Sraghna, one of the main centers of this culture, olive oil production will drop this year, up to 80% according to farms, compared to last year’s production. This is what the arborists predict. "National olive production will certainly drop considerably this year. The cultivated areas in El Kelâa des Sraghna have suffered from strong sirocco winds, and temperatures have never been so high," laments a farmer in the region to the site Le360.

The heat wave is the cause of the destruction of a large part of the olive production, "which has browned well before its full maturity". Not to mention the damage caused by the lack of rainfall. "The rise in temperatures has had a negative impact on the entire olive oil sector. The water level in the wells used for irrigation has also declined sharply," explains another farmer. "We have spent a lot of money to keep our farms in a viable state, but the yield will nevertheless be very low."

As a result, professionals fear that the combination of these factors will lead to a surge in the price of olive oil. The liter could be sold for more than 120 DH. They explain: "It is certain that the price of olive oil will rise sharply this year. Production is very low, and the kilogram of olives costs at least 15 dirhams. And as at least one quintal of olives is needed to produce between 11 and 13 liters of oil, this leaves only a small margin for the producers."