Morocco to lease agricultural estates to private investors
2007-04-23
Morocco recently announced plans to lease 116 farms to private investors, in a bid to increase efficiency and productivity in key agricultural sectors.
By Mawassi Lahcen for Magharebia in Casablanca – 23/04/2007
 [Mawassi Lahcen] Mohand Laenser during Friday's conference |
Mohand Laenser, Morocco’s Minister of Farming, Rural Development and Fishing announced Friday (April 20th) on the sidelines of the International Farming Conference in Marrakech that the government will offer 116 state-owned farms to private investors. Laenser said the Moroccan government chose to lease these estates since Moroccan law does not currently permit the sale of the state’s agricultural holdings.
This new offer comes after the success of the country's first agricultural joint venture two years ago. That process made possible the leasing of 164 estates totalling 41,000 hectares. The portion of foreign investors leasing land in the first venture was 14%.
Laenser said that the government’s aim with the new leaseholds is to boost efficiency on estates were state companies have failed to manage them effectively. Many such farms accumulated considerable debt as a result of poor planning and declining profitability. Lessees will operate the farms under contract for periods ranging from 17 to 40 years in duration.
The process, according to Laenser, will differ based on the size of the plot. For the large, strategically significant estates, negotiations will be conducted directly with prospective investors. The smaller parcels of land will be offered up for competition in an international call for bids.
Laenser noted that the area subject to direct negotiations covers 25,800 hectares, encompassing 10 estates specialising in the production of citrus fruits, 9 estates specialising in the production of olives and 5 estates specialising in the production of select seeds. Laenser added that the government is endeavouring to keep the production specialities of these estates due to strategic considerations, especially in the case of estates that produce select seeds, pointing out that the production of these five estates meets 20% of Morocco’s needs for wheat seeds.
Laenser said the Moroccan government decided to leave the choice up to investors concerning the type of agricultural production they will undertake on the 92 estates of non-specialized land. "It’s true that the area of these estates, which amounts to 40,000 hectares, represents but a small portion of Morocco’s total agricultural areas, estimated at around 9 million hectares. But we want these estates to play a driving role in the Moroccan farming sector and to be exemplary and pioneering leaseholds on the technical level and the planning level," Laenser said. The official announcement of the call for bids took place on April 16th, and the government set September 12th as the deadline for receiving bids from investors interested in the venture.
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bensaid Posted 2007-04-23
First of all a big “hello” to the Algerian people. Having said that… It really hurts when the Algerian government insults our country by supporting Moroccan Jews who offend our national integrity and by, at the very least, unduly recognizing the countries that have sheltered them for hundreds of years. (It is not the case that Algeria sheltered them itself.) The lack of respect is flagrant: how can you forget their single-minded will to bomb our country. How can you forget their favoritism towards Spain, while recently that country was so ready to attack Morocco during the Leila crisis. Thank you, Algerian Government. Thank you even more for your hatred of the Sahara. Thank you for shutting your borders. Thank you for making us submit to the Moroccans. Thank you for blackmailing—as you have so did—all the countries involved in the Battle of Isly, where the Algerian people proved their honour… where our blood was spilt for Algeria. I would be ashamed if I were the Algerian government. I, a Moroccan, am speaking sincerely to the people of America and Israel (and definitely not to the leaders of Algeria): The Maghreb will live; it has been a long time in the coming.
BEN Posted 2007-04-25
We cant understand the motivation of this government who undertakes to give agricultural land to foreigners who claim to be in favor of economic patriotism at home. This could be conceived in some reciprocal relationship, which is not the case here, i guess. After kif, marijuana could grow here and create another financial miracle for the sake of these so-called investors.
benkhaled abdelmoutaleb Posted 2007-05-06
The name “The GREAT Maghreb” is not always translated into fact. Is this a question of political will or a desire of foreign powers?
ودود Posted 2007-05-12
Brother Khalid, better talk about 'The Great Maghreb' rather than the 'Great Arab Maghreb', so that we don't fall in fatal errors of the eliminatory trend of the Arab nationalists. We want a democratic, diversified and strong Great Maghreb. It's true that there are many obstacles hindering this union. First of all, the political will of selfish rulers fearing each other for his limited regional authority which will be opened by the Union to nations and democracies. There's also a conflict between countries of the region, namely Morocco and Algeria, everyone is wishing to be the greatest power in the region. Now with the discovery of oil and its exploitation in Mauritania, the latter will also enter the competing arena as a regional power after its ambitions were limited. But the ambition of the union is what will make our region an international power having its weight on the international and Mediterranean levels. That's why there are external powers who aren't pleased with that.
JEM Posted 2007-05-16
Tahla is in urgent need of an interstate highway.
benkhaled abdelmoutaleb Posted 2007-06-05
but to also reduce it to nothingness. All efforts towards economic development more often than not are vigilent in the face of this evil that never ceases to devour our society.
زينب Posted 2007-08-24
Why do young people face difficulties in their projects to the point that they receive no assistance from the concerned sides?
Baladi Posted 2007-08-29
In effect, Ben, I completely share your point of view: “Only the smallest things will be offered up into the sphere of international bidding.” But, then I would be dreaming. Or is it that perhaps this courageous Minister of Agriculture takes a strange pleasure in feeding economic colonialism in Morocco by playing favourites? (Foreigners are often for practices that are harmful.) If the government is courting the proper initiatives concerning what is truly our agriculture, there is no need to go further than asking our Minister to please read the following: “An area made up of 8,250 hectares is being re-divided into 10 sections specialized in the farming of citrus fruits, 9 sections for olives and 5 section for specific types of grains.” What a super minister with such a super initiative! But I find it bizarre that there isn’t a person around who is worried about the future of citrus farming which is shrinking by the day: 600 hectares a year are being lost. Nor, is that person competent enough to figure out what kind of priority Morocco’s agricultural projects should take in order to avoid needing to play audience to international bidding. What anarchy! And, what if we were to take up fighting the desertification of cultivatable land as a consequence of greedy landowners who deforest our precious trees for profit? Tree density has fallen from 100 trees per hectare to 30. Yeah, what your talking about would really help the fate of citrus farming, which by its own strength, is now only able to bear fruit for Morocco alone.) Do we love our dear Morocco enough?
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