In Marchouch, a commune located 70 kilometers south of Rabat, farmers are hard at work on a squeaky forage press that churns out rectangular bales of straw. This rural and agricultural region has experienced a dramatic transformation due to the winter rains, which have revitalized the landscape. Fields are lush once again, crops are flourishing, and this resurgence in agricultural activity is a welcome change for communities that have suffered from years of water stress.
According to official data, the cereal harvest is expected to more than double this year, reaching nearly 90 million quintals compared to 44 million from the previous season, with the overall agricultural production anticipated to increase by around 15% compared to last year. However, spring and summer crops are now facing challenges due to rising input costs, heavily influenced by the ongoing situation in the Middle East. As expressed by Mehdi El Maazi, a 32-year-old lentil producer, "We were initially delighted by the arrival of rain, but with the increase in diesel prices, everything has changed." Since the onset of the war at the end of February, disruptions in maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz—a vital artery for global commerce through which one-fifth of liquefied natural gas and crude oil passes—have led to constraints in energy and fertilizer supply.
Previously, Mehdi used to spend around 1,200 dirhams (approximately 110 euros) of diesel per hectare to fuel his tractor. That cost has now surged to 1,800 dirhams (167 euros). In a nearby commune, Abdelkader Toukati is hopeful that "the price of diesel will decrease before the harvest season begins," particularly since "the cost of renting harvesters has doubled" and labor wages have also risen. Abdelaziz Drissi, a rental provider of agricultural machinery, lamented, "There are no more profits; we are working only to pay for fuel." The spike in fuel prices, essential for transportation, directly impacts the cost of agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and forage.
Livestock breeder Abdessadaq El Fayd has also noticed the increase in the price of animal feed, stating that "we used to buy a bag for 90 dirhams" (about eight euros), while it now costs "110 to 120 dirhams" (approximately 11 euros). In light of this inflation, the government announced mid-March that it would provide support to transporters, although this assistance has not stabilized prices according to farmers interviewed by AFP. Rachid Benali, president of the Moroccan Confederation of Agriculture and Rural Development, noted that "price increases primarily concern fuels and nitrogen fertilizers," but precise estimates of the extent of this increase are still unavailable.
Despite the global surge in energy costs, Morocco's economic growth—where agriculture accounts for approximately 12% of GDP and 24.5% of employment—is expected to accelerate to 5% in the first quarter of 2026, up from 4.1% in the fourth quarter of 2025, driven notably by agricultural activities, according to a recent report by the High Commission for Planning. Benali assured that the increase in production costs "will have no impact on the volume or quality" but will "automatically reflect" in the prices of agricultural products in the markets. At the end of April, Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch promised that efforts would be made to enhance distribution chains "to ensure that prices remain at a reasonable level." Regardless of external factors, the marketing of agricultural products in Morocco suffers from a structural issue: the proliferation of intermediaries, which often drives prices higher to the detriment of both producers and consumers.
As reported by france24.com.
