Morocco Crop Calendar

This zone includes the Western High Atlas, the Haouz plain and the plain of Haha, it is the watershed of the river Tansift. This area is located on the Atlantic coast in the west to the high altitudes of Boubkal and Oukaimden east. The climate is very varied. The Western High Atlas snow in winter above 1,000 m far northern slopes of wining from 800 to 900mm of rain, less humid depressions and dry southern slopes, receiving from 300 to 500 mm of rain. The plain of Haouz arid climate and précipitaions of less than 300 mm. Plain Haha has an arid climate with Atlantic influences, reducing temperature variations in both winter and summer. The length of the growth period varies végétatative 150 to 180 days for the Western High Atlas; in the Haouz and Haha, this period is shorter, it ranges from 120 to 90 days. This area represents 12% of the agricultural area of ​​the country. The Haouz plain is converted into irrigated area and significantly constribue to domestic production, especially in olive and Sugar-oil. It ensures the needs of the Marrakech region in dairy products.

Practices: All crops grown in Morocco except the palm date tree, the plain of Haouz and irrigated part

This area includes the provinces of Settat, Safi and El Jadida. Doukkala and Abda plains names appearing along the Atlantic coast to the west and the plain of Chaouia east inward. These plains have an altitude below 500 m. The base is reccouvert by Cretaceous limestones or tertiary. The low but rocky coast, is now bordered by steep cliffs sometimes by consolidated parallel to the shore dunes. In the sandy coastal area, ancient dunes alternate with rocky crusts more sheltered grooves. In Doukkala-Abda, thicker limestone, often absorb water to the point of completely disrupt the water system. This area represents 24% of the agricultural area of ​​Morocco. Rainfall varies from 300 to 400 mm of rain per year. The growing season length varies from 150 to 180 days. The floors are in lithic limestone crust. The plains of Doukkala and Abda are considées pami large irrigated périmères the country, they are very suitable areas for certain crops mariachères and also for sugar beet. The plain of Chaouia in good production years, is the first cereal considée region of Morocco.

Practices: Cereals and légumineues, plains of Doukkala and Abda contain irrigated areas

This area contitué the eastern part of Morocco. It includes the Eastern High Atlas and plataux Ain Beni METHAR and Missour. These are arid, sub Saharan influences. The maximum rainfall recorded on the northwestern slopes vary from 300 to 400mm. The rush are markedly reduced in sheltered depressions or facing south. For plataux the précipitaions are less than 100mm. The natural vegetation is dominated by the steppe. The duration of the growing season varies from 20 to 75 days in the High Plataux and 75 to 90 days in the wet slopes. In the Western High Atlas, lithosols (Entisols) and cambiosols (inceptisols) predominate with many inclusions rendzinas (inhceptisols: xérochepts) fersiallitic of soils and shallow luviosols. These soils are based frequently on limestone crusts. In the plains of Haouz and Haha, you meet rendzinas, lithic soils with limestone crust. In the High Atlas Oriental, were mostly limestone crust yersols to predominate with few inclusions and cambisons halosols. In platau Missour, there is soil or xéerosols calcimagnetiques. halosols are found there upstream and downstream Mollic soils. The whole is largely crusted shallow, limestone and gravel. From an agricultural perspective, this region is déduiée livestock extensive sheep because it contains the largest tablecloth steppe in Morocco.

Practices: Cereals and légumineues, but most of the land routes are

This area is located on the Middle Atlas in Morocco From center. The relief is formed limestone plataux stepped altitude of 1000-200 m. The highlands between Azrou and Timahdit are sometimes covered large outpourings of lava and dominated by small volcanoes. In the Northeast, the limestone plataux around a buttonhole primary base which rises to 1796 m altitude. On altitudes above 1700 m, the rainfall is quite high and the winter neigne is abundant and regular. The plataux and forested ridges cedar receive rainfall from 1100 to 1200 mm. The Southwest area receives less rain. Massive exposure to the South, are watered despite their high altitude. Climate types of this solid are sub wet to cool winter and cold in winter altitude, wet high-altitude (more than 1000 mm puie) and semi-arid in the east (less than 400 mm of water). This area represents less than 12% of the agricultural area of ​​the country. The duration of the végétataive growth period varies from 180 to 90 days. In this area, we find four major soil groups, frequently lithic, shallow or inclusions andosols on volcanic cones corresponding to Alfisols inceptisols, Mollisols and aridisols. Under the forest, dolimitiques zendisols are rich in humus and are associated with brown soils fersiallitic. We meet a few inclusions and vertisols Gleysols. This area is largely occupied by arboriculture fruitère most demanding cold as apple and cherry.

Practices: Cereal, légumineues, fruit abroriculture

humid and subtropical wetlands This area includes the mountain range of the Rif, the Prerif and plains of the Gharb and Loukkos north, the plain of Sais in the east and south Atlantic PLATAU. It is drained by rivers Sebou and Bouregreg. The Rif draws an arc, concave to the northeast, consisting of longitudinal structural units overlapping from north to south. Lying to the west to east along the sea, the Rif is a significant barrier that isolates the mediterranean coast of rainfall coming from the Atlantic Ocean. This region includes the provinces of Tangier, Kenitra, Rabat, Casablanca, Fez, Meknes and Taza. It represents more than 30% of the agricultural area of ​​Morocco. Climate plane, this area comprises a sub wet more than 600 mm of rain zone, located between the North and Tangier Gharb plain. The duration of the growing season is greater than 210 days. Another sub area from Kenitra to Casablanca with rainfall of 500 to 600 mm and a troisème subfield consists of the plain of Do and Atlantic Pleau, less humid with less rain 400mm. The duration of the growing season varies between 200 and 180 days. S soil perspective, the Rif is characterized by prédominace of luviosols associated with wet lithodols and castanomes, rendzinas and brown limestone melanised on calcareous marl. The Loukkos plain present fluviosols addition, the luviosols and plansols (Alfisols), some inclusions histosols and podzols (Spodosols). The Gharb plain is the low plain of the Sebou is a former Gulf clogged at the end of terciaire and during the Quaternary by the contributions of the flower and the sea. The floors are made largely by Luvisols. From améngement perspective, the plains of Gharb Loukos and are considered among the main irrigated perimeters of Morocco. It includes all crops grown in Morocco. Some spécfiques like peanuts and strawberries in the scope Loukkos. The rotations are bisannuls trianuels in irrigated and in rainfed areas.

Practices: All cultures performed except palm date palm. Gharb plains and irrigated Loukkos

The vast area of ​​the Anti-Atlas and southern pre-Saharan includes several physiographic units including the mountains of the Anti-Atlas, the plains of Sous Massa, the Draa and Ziz and the Hamada du Draa and Guir. This area stretches from the province of Errachidia in the east to the province of Eddakhala south. Despite this extent, this area represents less than 7% of the agricultural area of ​​the country. The Anti Atlas is very little rain with temperatures of 78 mm and a maximum of 300 mm. e rain. Saharan edge is dry. The maximum temperatures are very high and the minimum temperatures are very low, hence the extremes of temperature differences are of the order of 40 ° C. The valley of Sous Massa, opens onto the Atlantic Ocean is relatively less arid. The Southeast Agadir receives 200 to 300mm of rain ana. The plain of Tiznit receives less than 200mm. The temperature range does not exceed 20 ° C. The Saharan zone is characterized by its hyper-arid climate with less than 100mm of rain rainfall per year. The arid climate results in those areas with low soil differentiations that are lithosols type Entisols with many inclusions halosols in the Draa Valley, Tafillalet, Zagora and locally gypsum soils. The soils are shallow, stony and associated locally Regs and sand dunes. In the Anti-Atlas, we still encounter some red paleosols thin and xerosols on the Atlantic side. The abundance of limestone crusts significantly reduced acreage of cultivated soils.

Practices: Cereal, légumineues, fruit abroriculture, pamlier date palm in the oases or irrigated plots