Morocco is notably increasing its production volumes despite not expanding the acreage devoted to the various crops, mainly due to a great improvement in the yield per square metre, especially in the case of tomatoes, according to data elaborated by Hortoinfo and provided by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).
The Alaouite kingdom produced a total of 881,000 tonnes of tomatoes in 2001; a figure which had gone up to 1,217,905 by 2011; a 38.24% increase. The yield has gone from 4.89 kilos per square metre in 2001 to 7.11 in 2011. However, the number of hectares devoted to this crop has slightly dropped, from 18,000 in 2001 to 17,128 in 2011.
The most spectacular increase took place with green beans, whose production volumes have grown by 164.55%, from 45,590 tonnes in 2001 to the 120,612 tonnes harvested in 2011.
Another noteworthy increase, with a negative effect for Spanish producers, is that of courgettes, whose production volumes have grown by 95%, from 112,430 tonnes in 2001 to 219,608 in 2011.
There is also a large increase in the production volumes of watermelons (+93%) and melons (+69.55%). Cucumbers have also grown, although not as much (+41%), while peppers do not seem to be a product of choice for the citizens of Morocco.
As a result of the latest agricultural agreement between the kingdom of Morocco and the European Union, the North African country has become one of Spain's main competitors, especially if the entry conditions are not respected and the social-labour conditions of Moroccan products are not improved.
Source: hortoinfo.es