Green Med Journal
Harvesting of both soft citrus and oranges has a delay of around 10 days. But the size of fruit is larger than the average and the crop should increase thanks to ideal weather conditions with rains in October and November.
The crop growth is also due to the start of production of 1,200 hectares of new plantations. In total, the harvest should reach 1.86 million tons, recording an upsurge by 6%.
According to estimates by Fellah Trade, Credit Agricole’s publication in Morocco, orange crop is expected to total 975,000 tons (52% of the total) while mandarins and clementines will reach 764,000 tons.The clementines season ended at the end of December, leaving space to the variety Nour, with first shipments to North America and the European Union. Moroccan producers hope not to get rain until the end of the harvest of Nour and Afourer – according to the Freshfel-Shaffe forecasts update.Very few tonnes of Navels will be exporteddue to a strong demand from the internal market. Clementines’ growers had big expectations at the beginning of the season, while consumers are negotiating very hard for the price, which is lower than the previous season. Domestic consumption for the moment is stagnated and the processing trends are negative as well. Also during the Christmas period the demand was low.
