Despite optimistic expectations just a few months ago, citrus growers in the Marrakech region are now caught up in reality. "The season should have started, but there's nothing to harvest," says Walid Bouazzaoui, a Marrakesh based citrus grower.
In normal times, Moroccan clementines would be on the market as of mid-October, opening the citrus season. "But the sizes are too small and the fruits too dry. To fill a 10 kg box of size 2, you normally need around 187 pieces. With the sizes we have now, it takes 230. We've decided not to harvest and to wait. We don't yet have any visibility, and we don't yet know whether it's a delay in launching the season or a missed season altogether."
Other citrus varieties expected later in the season in the Marrakech region, such as Afourar mandarins, will meet the same fate, adds the grower.
However, according to earlier statements that have yet to materialize, producers in other regions, such as Souss Massa, are more confident.
Last season, the Moroccan citrus industry recorded a drop in volumes, which for some varieties such as Nadorcott were 60% down on the previous season. Bouazzaoui comments, "Production conditions have not improved. Persistent drought and rising temperatures are dealing a heavy blow to the industry, particularly in Marrakech."
For more information:
Walid Bouazzaoui
Global Trading Company
Email: [email protected]