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Morocco to extend wheat imports to end-April after drought

Morocco will keep providing subsidies for crushing wheat imports until completion of April 2025, state grains firm ONICL said on Monday, recommending the nation will continue to import wheat as drought strikes domestic supply.

Morocco has actually imported wheat greatly in the previous 2 years after succeeding poor crops, making it a major export outlet for the European Union and, significantly, Russia.

The decision to extend the subsidy plan that was due to end in December was made by Morocco's financing and farming ministries, and ONICL will set out more information later, the firm stated in a statement on its website.

In the past, Morocco had actually shut its market to imports for durations during good crop years to safeguard domestic supply. But the North African nation has actually kept its import window open

throughout 2024

.

The prolonging of the aid scheme will possibly maintain a consistent circulation of supply for millers up until the next regional harvest.

France has actually been Morocco's leading foreign wheat provider for several years and a loss of market share to Russia in Algeria has actually made the Moroccan market much more vital for French traders.

But a dire French harvest and actions by Morocco to encourage competition from cheaper Black Sea providers have helped Russia broaden its existence this year.

Russia is anticipated to be Morocco's leading milling wheat supplier in 2024/25, going beyond France, Moroccan grain traders' association

FNCL

stated in October.

(source: Reuters)