Phosphates Fertilizers Prices Decrease by 5 percent

The Moroccan state-owned fertilizers company (Fertima) announced that it will reduce by 5 percent the price of phosphates fertilizers for small farmers.

The reduction, coupled with a 50 percent decrease in azote fertilizers, will contribute to lowering the global fertilizers cost, Moroccan agriculture minister, Habib Malki, said.

The minister told the house of representatives (lower house) that several measures were taken to reduce the production cost, particularly through the decrease of the price of high quality seeds and pesticides.

Agriculture represents around 20 percent of Morocco's GDP and employs nearly half of an estimated 10-million workforce.

The sector's contribution is so important that a constitution amendment was introduced to consider Morocco's fiscal year as running from July to June to enable the appropriation bill drafters take into account the state of the cereals harvest and agriculture in general.