Madar (Erfoud) - Morocco's national date production is expected to reach about 180,000 tonnes in the 2026-2027 farming season, while the kingdom's annual consumption stands at between 220,000 and 250,000 tonnes, Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries and Food Sovereignty Khalid Hatimy announced on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, according to magazine La Vie éco.
The forecast was presented in Erfoud, in Errachidia province, on the sidelines of the opening of the 15th International Dates Fair in Morocco (SIDATTES 2026). With consumption exceeding expected output, the minister called for boosting production capacity and regulating imports, as well as developing storage and processing, regulating prices on the domestic market and supporting farmers on international markets.
According to agriculture ministry data, the date sector generates more than 3 billion dirhams in value added and over 3.4 million working days a year. It provides up to 60% of the farm income of oasis households, and nearly 2 million Moroccans earn direct or indirect income from it.
The fair runs until November 1 over 40,000 square metres, with more than 230 Moroccan and foreign exhibitors. Organisers expect more than 100,000 visitors, the same source said.
