Morocco balances wheat imports among global suppliers as domestic harvest improves

Morocco is set to reduce wheat imports to 6.7 million tons for the 2025-2026 season, down 200,000 tons from the previous year, according to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecast. This reduction reflects improving domestic harvests and strategic stock management despite ongoing climate challenges.

While regional neighbors like Egypt remain highly dependent on international market fluctuations, Morocco’s ability to reduce imports demonstrates its increasing self-sufficiency and strategic autonomy in grain procurement. The country has leveraged this position to balance relationships with major wheat exporters – France, Russia, and Kazakhstan – without becoming overly dependent on any single source.

The global wheat market is increasingly competitive, with world production expected to reach a record 808.5 million tons. Russia, the European Union, and Australia are intensifying efforts to secure positions in North African markets. Russia, already a major supplier to Algeria, views Morocco as a strategic gateway to expand its economic influence along Africa’s Atlantic coast.

France is working to maintain its position as Morocco’s traditional supplier through institutional alliances and commercial initiatives. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan is emerging as a competitor, leveraging growing political ties with Rabat as part of its strategy to diversify export markets in Africa.

Morocco skillfully maintains this competition through diversified procurement, modulated tenders, bilateral negotiations, and technical cooperation, all part of a broader strategy to strengthen multilateral partnerships beyond wheat trade.

For maize, essential to Morocco’s animal feed industry, imports are projected to increase by 200,000 tons to 2.9 million tons, primarily from Ukraine, Brazil, and the United States, reflecting the robust growth of Morocco’s industrializing poultry sector.

Through its National Interprofessional Office for Cereals and Legumes (ONICL), Morocco continues its anticipatory market stabilization strategy, using targeted subsidies, strategic stock management, and price controls to maintain food security while balancing relationships with agricultural partners.

Tags: Egypt, wheat, imports, Market, Morocco