World Grain - December 2021 - 20

COUNTRY FOCUS
Abda, Haouz, Tadla, and Sais recorded yields 44% above the
10-year average. "
Moroccan wheat imports are expected to return to normal
levels in marketing year 2021-22, the attaché said, forecasting
imports at 4.5 million tonnes primarily from common wheat
suppliers in France, Ukraine and Russia.
" Canada is expected to remain Morocco's primary durum
wheat supplier, " the report said. " US wheat remains priced out
of the Moroccan market. "
The attaché explained in an annual report on the grains sector
that " Moroccan wheat, flour, and bread prices are politically
sensitive and thus strictly managed, " with the National InterProfessional
Office for Cereals and Legumes (ONICL) aiming
to control the price of wheat within a $260- to $280-per-tonne
range by managing the most favored nation tariff rate. ONICL
subsidizes common wheat flour, known as " National Flour " in
an effort to support low-income consumers.
The attaché put Morocco's rice production in 2021-22 at
45,200 tonnes, 7% up from the previous year, due to favorable
weather during the growing season.
" Rice is not a staple food in Morocco and the consumption
has not increased significantly in recent years as consumers
continue to opt for bread wheat, couscous, and vegetables, "
the report said, putting consumption steady at 105,000 tonnes.
The report quotes Thailand's exports of rice to Morocco at
31,562 tonnes in 2019-20, making it the major supplier with
44% of the total. The attaché forecast 2021-22 imports at
60,000 tonnes " if the COVID-19 pandemic is managed and
the tourism sector resumes. "
The growing regions of Chaouia,
Abda, Haouz, Tadla, and Sais
recorded yields 44% above the
10-year average.
USDA attaché
The importance of the Moroccan market to France is demonstrated
by the fact that the export promotion organization
France Export Céréales, taken over by sector body Intercéréales
on July 1, 2021, maintains an office in Casablanca.
In its 2019-2020 report on its activities, France Export Céréales
put France's share of the Moroccan soft wheat market
at 50%, making it the biggest supplier, but added that there
was strong competition from Ukraine and Russia. Discussing
the 2019-20 marketing year, it noted strong demand for
barley, because of the poor Moroccan crop. However, having
gained a share of 80% of Moroccan barley imports in 201819,
stronger competition cut France's share to 63%. France
also gained ground on durum wheat exports to Morocco that
year, but Canadian supplies were still Moroccan importers'
preferred choice.
20
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
Morocco wheat situation
(in 1,000 tonnes)
Consumption
Imports
Production *Projected
Milling industry
The 2020 edition of the annual report on the flour milling sector
published by Fédération Nationale de la Minoterie (FNM),
Morocco's milling industry association, puts the number of
industrial mills processing soft wheat in the country at 125,
with a further 20 milling durum and eight producing barley
flour.
At the end of 2019, the country had 11 million tonnes of
grain processing capacity, 85% of which was used for soft
wheat. The amounts processed in 2019 were 4.4 million
tonnes of soft wheat, 900,000 tonnes of durum and 830,000
tonnes of barley.
FNM puts the average consumption of wheat per inhabitant
of Morocco at 200 kilograms, or three times the global
average.
Mixed signals on biotech
In a Dec. 11, 2020, report on biotechnology, the USDA attaché
notes that " Morocco neither produces nor allows importation
of agricultural products derived from biotechnology for
human consumption, " but adds that it " does import genetically
engineered (GE) products for its livestock and poultry
sectors. "
The report points to government guidance on the country's
position on biotech products, published in September
2012, which states that " Morocco follows the precautionary
principle in respect to justifying the ban on GE products
from local cultivation and from their presence in products
for human consumption, while simultaneously recognizing
their international presence and acceptance as an animal
feed source. "
However, Morocco is actively engaged in agricultural biotechnology
research and development as a means for addressing
the country's food security challenges.
December 2021 / World Grain / World-Grain.com
2021-22*
2020-21
2019-20
2018-19
2017-18
2016-17
2015-16
2014-15
2013-14
Source: US Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service
http://www.World-Grain.com
World Grain - December 2021

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