Morocco Eyes Bumper Olive Harvest, Sees Prices Drop Over 75%

Morocco's olive farmers and producers are riding a wave of optimism, with forecasts pointing to a significant rise in output this season compared with last year. The improvement is expected to bring down olive oil prices in the market, after they hit record levels over the past two years.

Key Positive Indicators:

• Higher output: Olive production is expected to rise by more than 75% compared with 2024, with increases of up to 90% possible in some regions, particularly for irrigated trees.
• Lower prices: Forecasts suggest the price of a litre of olive oil could fall to around 50 dirhams, down from nearly 100 dirhams in previous seasons.
• Harvest timing: The olive harvest is expected to begin in earnest after mid-October.

Voices From The Field

Abdellatif Tabaalit, a farmer with the "Khayrat Al Badia" cooperative in Kelaa des Sraghna province, confirmed that "this year's abundant output remains strong compared with the 2024 harvest." He explained that crops in areas such as Attaouia still need at least two more irrigation cycles to fully ripen and ensure higher quality and yields, particularly for olive varieties destined for pressing.

Imad, a farmer with a cooperative in Meknes province, echoed this positive outlook, saying: "Thank God, we expect a 30% increase across all fruit-bearing varieties, whether rain-fed or irrigated olive trees." He noted that prices for last season's olive oil have already begun to fall, settling at around 60 dirhams per litre.

Factors Behind The Promising Season

Rachid Benali, head of the Moroccan Federation of Olive Producers, attributed the improvement to several key factors:

1. Rainfall: Rain that fell across Morocco in late winter and early spring had a direct positive impact on tree productivity.
2. The Green Morocco Plan: Large numbers of trees planted under the plan have begun bearing fruit this season.
3. Tree resilience: Olive trees have shown a remarkable ability to withstand recent years of drought.

Ongoing Challenges And Concerns

Despite the overall optimism, some farmers have faced challenges, including:

• The impact of wind and harsh weather conditions on some trees.
• Damage to olive crops in Boulemane province from a hailstorm in late summer 2025.
• Some buyers' reluctance to purchase standing crops on the trees, as they wait for market conditions to stabilise in October and November.

Hopes remain high that this abundant harvest will translate directly into benefits for Moroccan consumers, provided the market is not disrupted by unexpected export and import decisions.

Source: Hespress