Over One Million Tonnes of Early Vegetables and Fruits Exported Until May 17, Official

Rabat - Exports of early vegetables and fruits totaled 1,127 million tonnes until May 17, an increase of 8%, said, on Tuesday in Rabat, Minister of Agriculture, fisheries, rural development, water and forests Aziz Akhannouch. In response to a question during the weekly session at the House of Advisors, the Minister pointed out that exports of tomatoes reached nearly 520,000 tonnes, up 4%, while exports of citrus fruits amounted to 476,000 tonnes. He also reported 116,000 tonnes of beans with a 9% increase, 44,000 tonnes of squashes (+ 8%), 129,000 tonnes of watermelons (+ 61%), 86,000 tonnes of red fruit (+ 25%) and 32,000 tonnes of avocados (193%).

Regarding sugar crops, Akhannouch stressed that the surface area cultivated with sugar beet reached 57,000 hectares, equivalent to 96% of the programmed surface area. The quantities delivered totaled 370,000 tonnes until May 22, or 11% of the forecast gross production, estimated at 3.42 million tonnes, with a profitability of around 60 tonnes/Ha. As for sugar cane, production should be around 646,000 tonnes, while the quantity delivered to processing units has reached 35,000 tonnes.