After suffering worst drought in decades, Morocco introduces raft of measures to bolster cereal production

MOROCCO – In a bid to mitigate the adverse effects of drought on the agricultural sector, the government has set raft measures expected to provide a much-needed boost to Morocco’s agricultural industry, safeguarding food security and strengthening the economy.

Recently, the government launched the ‘The Generation Green Plan 20202030’ initiative, a drive to achieve greater food security for cereal crops by 2030, notably through strengthening the certified seed sector to offer better varieties to farmers.

In June, the government went ahead to launch a comprehensive plan allocating a US$1 billion budget to the agriculture sector.

The Morocco World News reports that from the allocation, the government has set aside US$400 million that will be utilized to aid farmers with the purchase and distribution of inputs while another $100 million will be dedicated to enhancing Credit Agricole and improving farmers’ access to financing as stated in the FAS report.

Further, the government decided to halt its common wheat import support program, as prices declined with the arrival of the new world wheat crop and other factors alleviating inflationary pressures.

Import duties on wheat and barley will also remain scrapped until the end of 2023 to encourage stock building and ensure sufficient supplies in the market.

Morocco’s cereal production is forecasted to jump 62% in MY2023/24 on the back of improved weather conditions, the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the US Department of Agriculture has said.

The news couldn’t be more welcome in a country that is recovering from one of its worst drought that led to a 60% decline in cereal production in MY2022/23.

US government gives a nod to Bayer’s short-stature GM corn, but hurdles remain

USA – The US government has given a nod to a new type of genetically modified corn developed by Bayer AG, a global agrochemicals and seeds producer, with shorter stalks than typical crops and better tolerance to strong winds.

The plants grow one-third shorter than current varieties in a bid to reduce losses from heavy winds that blow over crops and to make it easier for farmers to apply chemicals during the growing season.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture determined the crop is not subject to regulations because it does not pose a higher risk for pests than other types of corn.

Reuters reports that short-stature corn is among the latest crop varieties developed to withstand increasingly volatile weather associated with climate change, joining a growing list that includes drought and heat-tolerant corn, soybeans, and wheat.

Corn is the largest crop grown in the U.S. in terms of acreage planted and net value. According to Bayer, the North American sales of short-stature corn could reach as high as 1 billion euros.

However, hurdles remain, with Bayer saying that it still needs approval from the Environmental Protection Agency and importing countries before it can launch the corn in the U.S. The company expects the launch in the middle to later part of this decade.