Excessively hot weather in Morocco is expected to result in a steep year-on-year drop in volumes produced in the North African country, local media have reported.
The major citrus exporter is estimated to see a decline of around 15-20% from 2.3 million metric tonnes (MT) last year to around 2 million MT, publication Agri Maroc reported, quoting figures from the country’s Citrus Growers Association.
For around four months temperatures in Morocco are reported to have been unusually high, creating drought conditions and reducing the fruit sizing.
The eastern Oriental region and the central Marrakesh region are said to be the most severely affected by the adverse weather conditions.
Morocco’s citrus season typically runs from October until around midway way through the next year.
According to a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) report published in December 2016, Morocco’s citrus production during the previous season has risen by 15%, and so this season’s decline should bring volume on par with the 2015-16 campaign.
In the report, the USDA had estimated orange production for the 2016-17 season would increase 4% year-on-year to 962,250MT while tangerine/mandarin production would increase 24% to 1.3 million MT.
