November 16, 2010

Morocco's grain imports increase by 88%

Morocco's grain imports rose by 88% in the five months till October 31 due to higher purchases of soft milling wheat, state cereal agency, ONICL said.

"At the end of the fifth month in the 2010/2011 import season (October), grain imports reached 17.2 million quintals (1.72 million tonnes) versus 9.15 million quintals in the previous period," it added.

Imports of soft wheat and corn accounted for 45% and 38% of total purchases respectively, hard wheat's were 10%, it said.

Morocco's grain import season begins in June and ends in May.

Morocco, the tenth-biggest wheat importer globally, saw this year's harvest decreased from a record of 10.2 million tonnes last year to 7.46 million tonnes due to adverse weather.

Of the 1.72 million tonnes imported till October, French origins represented 40%, Canada was 14%, followed by Argentina 13% and the US at 11%.

In September, ONICL allowed the import of 1.2 million tonnes of soft milling wheat from September, 16 to December, 31.

The government has also stopped custom duties on soft and hard wheat imports for the time being this year.