MOROCCO – Exports of agri-food products reached around 3.1 million tons during the 2018-2019 campaign in terms of volume, the Moroccan Ministry of Agriculture has revealed.
The ministry revealed this in a press statement adding that this was the first time that Morocco reached this volume in its history.
Exports of agro-food products recorded a growth of 97% with share of about 21% compared the total exports of Morocco during the 2010-2018, The Ministry of Agriculture said.
According to the statement, revenues from the export of the national agri-food products increased from MAD 29.3 billion in 2010 to 57.7 billion (US$5.97 billion) in 2018.
The Food and Agricultural Organization says that Agriculture is highly important to the economy and people of Morocco.
FAO also notes that the sector contributes about 20 percent to GDP and 30 percent to export earnings.
Agriculture according to the global body absorbs approximately 40 percent of the total active population in Morocco and 80 percent of the rural workforce.
The National Union of Associations of the wholesale markets of vegetables and fruits of Morocco says that the industry generates more than MAD 350 million annually.
According to the Association’s Union Vice President Abdelhafid El Ouardani, Morocco has 38 structured wholesale fruit and vegetable markets which employ more than 4,700 personnel.
Wholesale markets constitute a marketing space for the “products of thousands of farmers,” he noted.
Launched in 2008, the Green Morocco Plan (Plan Maroc Vert, PMV), the national agricultural policy, has played a key role in guiding sector development.
Under the PMV, which runs until 2020, the government identified agriculture as the leading engine of economic growth.
Within this time frame, it aims to double the sector’s contribution to GDP, add 1.5m jobs, increase the sector’s export value to Dh44bn (US$4.55 billion) and make headway in the battle against poverty.
The results have been satisfactory on a number of levels. Sector GDP increased by 57% between 2008 and 2015, totalling Dh115bn (€10.6bn) in 2015,.
In addition, the value of agriculture and food exports has grown significantly, reaching Dh57.7bn (US$5.97bn) in 2018.
