RABAT, MOROCCO — Morocco has increased its 2021-22 wheat and barley production outlook by 206% over the previous marketing year due to favorable weather conditions, according to a July 1 Global Agricultural Information Network report from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The Morocco Ministry of Agriculture is forecasting total wheat and barley output at 9.8 million tonnes, which is about 26% above the country’s 10-year production average.
The estimate includes 4.8 million tonnes of common wheat, 2.4 million of durum wheat, and 2.6 million tonnes of barley. Morocco produced just 640,000 tonnes of barley last year and was forced to import 1 million tonnes. The report projects imports to decline to 300,000 tonnes in 2021-22.
To protect local wheat producers from foreign competition, the Moroccan government on May 12 announced an increase from 0% to 135% in common wheat duties and from 0% to 170% in durum wheat duties.
