Morocco expects record cereal harvest in 2018

RABAT, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Morocco will produce 9.82 million tons of cereals this year, the Moroccan Minister of Agriculture Aziz Akhanouch announced on Monday.

According to the preliminary forecast, soft wheat production in Morocco will reach 4.8 million tons, durum 2.28 million tons and barley 2.73 million tons, Akhanouch said at the opening of an annual international agriculture meeting in the northern city of Meknes.

The record harvest is due mainly to abundant rainfall this year, which was 16 percent higher than the average.

Agriculture accounts for more than 15 percent of the country's economy and this good harvest is expected to boost economic growth.

The Moroccan central bank expects an economic growth of 3.3 percent. Enditem