Morocco's agriculture sector faced a persistent water deficit in the concluding months of 2023, resulting in a decline in its contribution to the economy. Recent data from the Higher Commission for Planning (HCP) reveals that the sector's year-on-year added value slowed to 5.2% in the fourth quarter, down from 6.9% in the first quarter of the same year.
The diminished added value in Morocco's agriculture is primarily attributed to the enduring water deficit and unfavorable weather conditions, with temperatures surpassing the seasonal average, adversely impacting crop yields. The HCP report highlights that non-cereal categories, especially fruits and vegetables, suffered the most due to adverse weather conditions, leading to a reduction in the volume of exported agricultural goods.
By the end of the fourth quarter in 2023, the export of small vegetables declined by 16.8%, tomatoes by 25.9%, strawberries by 29%, and watermelons and melons by a substantial 61.5%. Additionally, livestock farming faced challenges due to poor grazing conditions, although red meat production increased, primarily driven by heightened imports of live animals in the last quarter of 2023.
Conversely, poultry farming experienced a resurgence, attributed to a significant 33.3% decrease in corn import prices during the same period, as specified in the report. The improved supply of poultry production in the last quarter of 2023 led to a rise in the processing of broiler chickens and turkey poults at slaughterhouses by 10.3% and 10%, respectively.
This increased supply contributed to a decline in chicken prices in the market, with the average dropping to 1.1% in the last quarter of 2023, compared to 11.6% in the corresponding period in 2022. Meanwhile, the beekeeping sector's productivity continued to decrease due to a reduction in bee colonies caused by dry weather conditions during the summer and autumn of 2023.
