June 10, 2009

Morocco is not expected to import any wheat for the remainder of this year due to the 135 percent duty on wheat imports introduced by the government at the beginning of the month, said Kacem Rajl, chairman of grain trading and milling company Millex.

Previously a 50 percent duty, the higher tariff - imposed until Dec. 31 - means it "wouldn't make sense" for Morocco to import from the international wheat market, said Casablanca-based Rajl.

Morocco consumes around 14 million tonnes of wheat per year, of which around four million tonnes is imported, mainly from France.

But abundant rainfall has meant the country is expecting its largest wheat crop in 30 years.

Regular droughts cause the country's production to vary year to year.

Morocco's 2009-2010 wheat harvest is expected at around nine million tonnes, compared with around five million tonnes in 2008-2009, forecasts analytical firm F.O.Licht.

Around half of the 2009-2010 wheat crop is already harvested and storage is fast becoming a problem for the country as it only has capacity for around 4.5 million tonnes of wheat, said Rajl.

"The storage could be an issue...More storage is being built," said Rajl.

The wheat harvest started at the end of April and has seen dry, favourable weather conditions for its progress, he added.