January and February: Citrus dominates. The Souss plain ships clementines and oranges to Europe. Almond trees bloom in the Anti-Atlas — the Tafraout almond blossom festival marks the season. It is too early for most crops, but the southern oases harvest the last dates.
March and April: Rose harvest begins in the Dadès Valley. The Rosa damascena bushes bloom for roughly three weeks in April and May. Kelaat M'Gouna and the surrounding villages pick the flowers before dawn, when the essential oil concentration is highest. The Rose Festival in May celebrates the harvest. Broad beans, artichokes, and spring peas arrive in the souks.
May and June: Strawberries peak in the Gharb. Cherries ripen in the Middle Atlas — Sefrou holds its cherry festival. The first figs appear in the Rif. Wheat and barley are harvested across the plains. The cereal harvest is the backbone of Morocco's food security.
July and August: Tomatoes, peppers, and summer vegetables dominate. The argan harvest begins in the Souss — women crack the nuts by hand in cooperatives. The oil — pressed from the kernels — is used for cooking (roasted) and cosmetics (raw). This is the hottest season; fieldwork starts before dawn.
September and October: Saffron harvest in Taliouine — three weeks of intense manual labour. Pomegranates split open across the country. Figs reach their peak. The grape harvest happens in the Meknes region, where Morocco's wine industry is concentrated.
November and December: Olive harvest across the north and centre — the most important agricultural event of the year by economic volume. Date harvest in the Draa and Tafilalet. The agricultural year closes with citrus beginning again as the wheel turns.
We match journeys to harvests — saffron in Taliouine in November, roses in Kelaat M'Gouna in May, olives in the Rif in December.
Tell us about your trip →Data and visualisation by Dancing with Lions
The Facts
- —January: citrus harvest (Souss, Berkane)
- —February: almond blossom (Tafraoute)
- —March-April: rose harvest (Dadès)
- —May: cherry harvest (Middle Atlas)
- —June-July: fig season begins
- —August: prickly pear
- —October: saffron (Taliouine), dates (Tafilalet)
- —November: olive harvest (Meknes)
- —December: argan pressing
Sources
- FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization). Morocco country profile
- Moroccan Ministry of Agriculture. Harvest calendar and production data
- Haut-Commissariat au Plan. Agricultural statistics
