Morocco braces for higher wheat import costs

Morocco faces rising grain import costs as global wheat stocks are projected to fall to their lowest in nearly a decade, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) August 2025 forecasts.

The USDA’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report projects global wheat reserves at 256.2 mln tons for the 2025/2026 season, the lowest since 2016/2017. This stems from poor harvests in key regions like Europe, Russia, and Ukraine.

Global wheat production is estimated at 789.8 mln tons, down 2.1 mln tons from July, while consumption holds at 801.6 mln tons. This supply-demand gap is driving up international prices, hitting import-reliant nations hard.

In Morocco, where bread is a staple and wheat makes up over half of cereal consumption, the impact is significant. The country imports over 50% of its wheat needs, with USDA forecasting 7.5 mln tons for 2025/2026, up from the prior season.

Morocco’s National Federation of Cereal and Legume Traders reports a 24% rise in durum wheat imports to 0.83 mln tons and a 16% drop in soft wheat imports to 2.63 mln tons from January to July 2025. Diversifying import sources and modernizing agriculture are critical to address food security challenges.

Tags: wheat, Morocco