Morocco May Abolish Wheat Import Duties as Early as August

Moroccan authorities are considering the removal of the 35% import duty on soft wheat that came into effect on June 1. The information was announced by Moulay Abdelkader Alaoui, head of Morocco’s National Federation of Flour Milling Industries (FNM), and Omar Yacoubi, representative of the country’s National Federation of Grain Traders (FNCL), Reuters reported.

According to them, the decision to remove the duty could take effect from August 1. The measure was introduced to curb imports and prioritize the marketing of the domestic wheat harvest.

At the same time, the government outlined the condition under which the tariff could be abolished. By July 15, farmers must harvest at least 80% of the projected soft wheat crop, estimated at 1.5 million tons.

It was also reported that Morocco’s National Interprofessional Office for Cereals and Legumes (ONICL) plans to encourage the creation of domestic grain reserves. To achieve this, the agency intends to offer incentives to local traders for both short-term and long-term storage of locally produced wheat. The reserves are expected to cover the country’s grain needs until January 2027.

According to forecasts from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Morocco’s wheat imports in the 2026/27 marketing year, including durum wheat, will total about 4 million tons. This is 40% lower than the expected import volume in the current season.