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The Moroccan Interprofessional Olive Federation forecasts a potential decline of up to 40 percent in olive production for the 2026-2027 agricultural season compared to the previous year. Despite this anticipated reduction, Mr. Kamal Ben Khaled, president of the Federation, affirmed that abundant existing stocks of olives and olive oil will ensure market supply stability and product availability without significant disruption.
In a related development concerning the sector, Ben Khaled stated that the current season's olive harvest will commence earlier than usual. It is expected to begin in mid-September or by the end of September at the latest, a shift from previous years when harvesting typically extended into October or even early November.
The Federation's president attributed the projected decline in next season's production to several factors, primarily the prolonged harvesting period of the previous season, which yielded an abundant crop. Harvesting operations in some farms continued until January and February due to challenges in securing sufficient labor. This delay, according to Ben Khaled, prevented olive trees from receiving the necessary rest period after fruiting and pruning.
Ben Khaled explained that olive trees naturally require a recovery phase to regain vitality and activity before entering a new production cycle. However, a significant number of trees did not adequately benefit from this crucial stage, which will inevitably impact the volume of production for the upcoming season. He added that this impact would not be uniform, with some regions expected to achieve good production results while others anticipate a decline compared to the previous season.
Despite these projections, Kamal Ben Khaled emphasized that the market situation would remain stable, thanks to the high production achieved during the prior season. This substantial output contributed to building a significant strategic reserve of olives and olive oil, thereby guaranteeing the continuous and normal supply to local markets in the forthcoming period.
It is worth noting that Morocco's olive sector registered clear signs of recovery last season, following years of production decline caused by successive drought seasons. According to Federation data, production reached approximately 2 million tons of olives, in addition to about 600,000 tons of olive oil, which significantly bolstered the currently available stocks.
Source: Agadir24