A flash flood hit the Moroccan region of Dakhla in early October, damaging tomato and blueberry crops. While the damage is significant for some growers, it remains minimal at regional and more so at national levels, according to Ali Bayda, general manager of Bayda Trading & Development.

The grower recounts the events: “It was a flash flood during which our region received 30 to 35 mm of rainfall in less than an hour. The river that caused the flooding is located in Blad Jediane, on the road between Aouesserd and Dakhla. This is a rather rare weather accident; the last time it happened was in 2015.”

Given the timing of the floods, it impacted tomatoes currently being harvested and blueberries at the development stage. According to Bayda, this timing was fortunate, as “the damage would have been much worse if it had occurred during the early melon and watermelon production period.”

The extent of the damage varies from grower to grower, with some being affected in up to 40% of their acreage, according to the grower. He adds: “At Bayda Trading and Development, we were among the hardest hit, as flooding affected 20 ha of our total 300 ha surface area. The serious financial losses mainly concern the greenhouses that were swept away by the floods. However, in terms of production, losses in the tomato sector are minimal, estimated at a maximum of 10% of the region’s total volume or less than 2% of the national volume. This equates to just 2–3 days of harvests, and the volume gap caused by this event will not be noticeable in the market.”

In terms of logistics, Bayda assures that the floods did not cause any damage either. “Infrastructure, including roads, remained intact, and we had sunny and windy weather immediately after the floods, which mitigated their impact. The tracks leading to the plantations, therefore, remained accessible, and producers were able to continue harvesting as soon as the next day,” he concludes.

For more information:
Ali Bayda
Bayda Trading & Development
Tel: +212 661-711197