Cosumar Group has kicked off a new sugar campaign with an ambitious expansion plan, nearly doubling the area dedicated to sugar beet cultivation from 23,000 to 45,000 hectares for the 2024/2025 season. Despite persistent drought in some key agricultural zones, the company is determined to boost national production and contribute to Morocco’s food security efforts.
For this season, Cosumar’s cultivated area spans multiple regions: 10,000 hectares each in Doukkala and Tadla, 6,000 hectares in the Oriental, 13,000 hectares in Gharb, and 6,000 hectares in Loukkos. Additionally, 5,000 hectares in Gharb and Loukkos have been set aside for sugarcane, reflecting a strategic balance between crops.
Although erratic rainfall remains a concern, Morocco’s government has stepped in to improve irrigation access in these regions. This support is critical, as the previous 2023/2024 season faced similar climate challenges. Nevertheless, Cosumar, with its resilient partners in the sugar industry, managed to deliver a successful harvest that significantly benefited farmers’ incomes. Government financial aid and direct support from Cosumar helped farmers offset input costs, boosting their revenue and strengthening the entire sugar production chain.
Responding to farmers’ appeals, the government has committed to releasing water from reservoirs throughout the agricultural season to support vital perimeters like Gharb, Moulouya, and Loukkos, and to provide water allocations for Tadla’s campaign start. These efforts aim to stabilize sugar production in water-stressed areas while the country invests in seawater desalination projects and completes the Sebou-Bouregreg water transfer to secure sustainable water resources.
Cosumar has invested over 500 million dirhams in essential supplies such as seeds, fertilizers, and crop protection products, ensuring farmers have the resources they need. In addition, state subsidies for fertilizer prices have eased financial pressure on farmers, reducing their costs substantially. Cosumar and the sugar industry are also optimistic that state support for sugar crop prices—80 dirhams per ton for sugar beets and 70 dirhams for sugarcane—will continue to alleviate farmers’ costs and boost production.
These incentives not only help farmers cover production expenses but also increase their earnings, thereby enhancing the profitability and competitiveness of Morocco’s sugar sector. This targeted support aligns with Morocco’s contract-program objectives for agriculture, established in 2021 in partnership with the Moroccan Interprofessional Sugar Federation (FIMASUCRE).
Cosumar’s commitment to sustainability and profitability for its farming partners is clear. With increased acreage, enhanced government support, and solidified infrastructure, the 2024/2025 sugar campaign is set to reinforce Morocco’s food sovereignty, empowering farmers and uplifting agricultural regions across the country.
