Rabat - Mohamed Sadiki, Morocco’s Minister of Agriculture, said on Tuesday that the country’s olive production is expected to face significant challenges this season due to extreme heat.
The Minister highlighted that this year’s olive yield is projected to decline as a result of unfavorable climatic conditions.
Speaking in the Parliament, Minister Sadiki explained that the olive trees’ flowering phase coincided with severe heat waves.
The timing is likely to have a detrimental impact on the overall olive production, he noted.
Sadiki assured industry professionals that he plans to convene a meeting with stakeholders to discuss the current state of the olive supply chain and explore potential solutions.
The issue of olive production has become a significant concern for the Moroccan market.
Kamal Ben Khaled, a member of parliament from the National Rally of Independents and head of the Federation of Canning and Agricultural Products Industries, raised alarms over the current shortage in olive production.
Ben Khaled reported that olives are being sold for MAD 15 ($1.50) per kilogram at the farm level.
Ben Khaled further warned that without government intervention, olive oil prices could skyrocket to MAD 150 ($15) per liter.