Moroccan watermelon campaign continues with Loukkos harvest

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The Moroccan watermelon campaign continues with harvests in the Loukkos region, the latest to hit the market. In the Laaouamra region, near Larache (North Atlantic coast), the campaign is marked by stability, with an improvement in prices and no reported phytosanitary issues.

Local producer Oussama Baioua shares, “We started harvesting watermelons a few weeks ago and are currently at the peak of the harvest. The campaign will continue until the end of August, our watermelons being the last from Morocco this year.”

The grower reports a clear improvement in quality: “We have been spared phytosanitary problems such as the WMV-M virus, which was a real problem last season. There’s also a clear improvement in MRL compliance, and I haven’t seen any watermelons rejected as was the case last season.”

“The campaign is progressing very well, with stable production, an abundance of large calibers of around 15 kg, and good demand, which is reflected in better prices than last season, both on the local market and export markets,” Baioua continues.

While Morocco is experiencing several successive waves of intense heat, the Larache region has been spared, according to Baioua. “Temperatures are mild, which bodes well for the rest of the season, and also for the preparation of the next soft fruit season,” he concludes.

The Moroccan watermelon season has seen a revival this year, with an increase in surface area and volumes after several years of shrinkage. However, accidents disrupted the campaign, as was the case in Zagora at the beginning of May, when a hailstorm destroyed a large proportion of watermelons just at harvesting time, as well as virus-related losses in other regions. Nevertheless, several exporters in different locations reported improved supply and prices.

Oussama Baioua
Domaine Baioua
Tel: +212 662-798410
Email: [email protected]

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Source: The Plantations International Agroforestry Group of Companies