With the entry into the consumption period of red watermelon in Moroccan markets, and near the end of its season in many regions, professionals have observed a noticeable increase in its prices, which range between 5 dirhams and 20 dirhams per kilogram, and may reach record levels for a unit that weighs 10 kg, with prices ranging between 70 dirhams. Dirham and 200 dirhams.
Farmers attribute the reasons for prices to reach high levels this year to the rationing imposed by a group of international authorities in areas known for production, especially in the Tata region.
Production during this period remains confined to the regions of Taroudant, Chichaoua, and Zagora, but according to the same sources, “it does not meet the high demand, which is expected to increase in the coming months of summer 2024, from both the internal and external markets.”
Red watermelon farmers confirm that “this fruit may not be within the reach of many segments of Moroccan society this summer, due to the high prices resulting from the lack of supply in the markets.” While some of them confirm that “the coming months will be marked by scarcity of watermelon.”
Abdel Rahim Al-Batshi, a red watermelon farmer in Chichaoua, says, “The current prices of this fruit in Moroccan markets range between 5 and 6 dirhams, and with the beginning of the season approaching in Chichaoua and immediately after its end in other regions, prices are expected to rise to reach more than seven dirhams per kilogram.” .
Al-Batshi added to Hespress that the price of ten kilograms of red watermelon is expected to reach 70 dirhams or more at the beginning of the season in Chichaoua at the end of this month, explaining that “the beginning of the season in Chichaoua coincides with an increase in internal demand and export abroad.”
The same spokesman stated that “the current rise in prices in Moroccan markets is mainly due to the legalization and ban operations that occurred in many regions, most notably Tata,” indicating that “production is currently located in 3 regions in Morocco (Zagora, Taroudant, Chichaoua), and all of them combined do not meet the demand.” .
In Zagora, farmers in this sector expect that the Moroccan markets will experience a scarcity of red watermelon in the coming months, as confirmed by Al-Hussein, a professional in the agricultural sector in the Zagora region.
Al-Hussein told Hespress, “The supply is very low towards the end of the ‘dah’ season in the region, and prices have risen compared to last year, reaching 5 dirhams per kilogram.”
The same farmer stressed that “the supply in Chichaoua, which is expected to start its season soon, does not meet the demand in the Moroccan market, and currently Zagora and Taroudant offer a very weak product.”
As for the same speaker, “the ban on watermelon cultivation in the Katata areas has greatly affected the abundance of supply this year, and therefore prices will rise,” explaining that “water scarcity is another reason why production in Zagora and Taroudant is weak.”
In Tata, where the ban continues by a general decision, Mohamed Boulili, Vice President of the Potato Regional Agricultural Association, says, “Current prices are high, and in the future, due to the small supply, they may reach 10 or 20 dirhams per kilogram, which means that a watermelon weighing ten kilograms will arrive.” Its price is 200 dirhams.
The price of selling one hectare rose this year, according to Bolili, the farmer specializing in watermelon cultivation mentioned above, to 200 thousand dirhams, adding that “all of this is due to the ban implemented in Tata, and legalization in many areas,” and he added: “The current prices that will not be in Reachable by a segment of Moroccans.”
The same speaker called for “the necessity of lifting the embargo on the Tata region in order to achieve reasonable prices for the Moroccan citizen,” adding that “the water crisis is a global phenomenon, and confronting it should not be by focusing on one sector, without looking at other farmers who consume more water.” .
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2024-05-08 11:00:50
