Rain deficit may effect Moroccan economy

In view of the alarming rain deficit registered since the beginning of the fall season in Morocco, Moroccans were called to pray for rain on Friday.

The Ministry of Religious Endowments and Islamic Affairs urged Moroccan believers to perform rogatory prayers throughout Morocco.

The specter of a severe drought has started to loom in Morocco, where Agriculture represents around 20 percent of the GDP and employs nearly half of an estimated 10-million workforce.

The sector's contribution to the economy is so important that a constitutional 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.

Moroccan agricultural circles expressed fears that the draught Morocco has been witnessing since summer would cause "a catastrophe which may hit coming seasonal agricultural crops."

Moroccan agricultural sources said the area of arable agricultural lands in Morocco is 8 million hectares, of which some 5 million hectares are allotted for cereal production. Only 300,000 hectares are irrigated because many of the dams built 30 years ago are aimed at supporting exportation plants.

Moroccan agricultural sources said that seeding season has so far been delayed for one month, noting that it is is very urgent to have rainfall before the first week of December, otherwise the crops will have a great delay.

There are fears that cereal production will decrease by half. However, the Moroccan economy is basically dependent on agriculture which ensures the living of half of the Kingdom population of 27 million.