The Moroccan raspberry campaign began in September, in the Loukkos region in the northwest and has just started in the central Souss Massa region. Ittou Aouragh, from Domaine Yamna Agri, reports a normal campaign despite new difficulties.
The grower reports: "Growers in the Agadir region started harvesting two weeks ago. As for me, I'll start harvesting in a few days. I'm pleased with the stable production conditions over the summer. We didn't have any chergui (hot, dry winds), and temperatures were optimal, which has impacted quality and size."
According to Ittou, the raspberry acreage has stabilized in the Agadir region and has not changed much, a trend also observed in the north of the country. She adds: "Nationally, we have reached a ceiling for raspberry acreage, which corresponds to current demand. In Agadir, it's mainly blueberries that are increasing in acreage. Raspberries remain stable, while strawberries have virtually disappeared from the region."
A growers' representative stated earlier that this season's acreage nationwide is around 4,200-4,500 ha, and volumes are expected to average 50,000-60,000 tonnes of fresh raspberries and 10,000-12,000 tonnes of frozen raspberries. Production is dominated by three varieties of American and European origin.
Agadir's raspberry campaign will continue until the end of May, or even mid-June if demand is there, according to Ittou, with peak harvest expected in January-February.
"The season is overall stable and calm, despite some problems," Ittou says. "We're dealing with the presence of pests like mites and thrips, and it's complicated by the reduction in the authorized list of pesticides."
The grower concludes, "There's also a labor shortage due to the large volumes of many fruits and vegetables to be harvested in the region right now, and that's delaying the harvest."
For more information:
Ittou Aouragh
Domaine Yamna Agri
Tel: +212657295312
Email: [email protected]