The Souss-Massa region highlights its strengths in the date sector at the Erfoud International Exhibition.

The Souss-Massa region took part in the 15th edition of the Erfoud International Date Fair, organized by the Association of the International Date Fair in Morocco under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries and Food Sovereignty, and with the support of the National Agency for the Development of Oasis and Argan Areas, from October 28 to November 1, through an institutional stand highlighting the region’s potential in the date sector, its agricultural resources and its promising assets for developing the sector and strengthening its contribution to economic and social development.

At the opening of the fair, the Souss-Massa region’s stand was visited by the official delegation, comprising the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Food Sovereignty, the Minister of Employment and Social Dialogue, and the Secretary of State to the Minister of Industry and Trade in charge of Foreign Trade. They were briefed on the stand’s various components and the information presented on the region’s agricultural potential and the efforts made to promote the date sector, as well as on opportunities to enhance the value of local products and strengthen their competitiveness.

This participation provided an opportunity to highlight the richness of the Souss-Massa region’s oases, particularly those in Tata Province, which are distinguished by the diversity of their local date varieties passed down from generation to generation, including Bouitob, Jihel, Boufeggous and Najda. These varieties represent part of the region’s oasis agricultural heritage and embody the local population’s attachment to the date palm, regarded as an economic, social and cultural resource and an essential driver of the sustainability of agricultural activities in the oases.

In terms of value addition and marketing, the Souss-Massa region has significant productive and economic assets in the date sector, supported by infrastructure dedicated to enhancing the value of the product and improving its storage and marketing conditions. The region has 11 processing and value-addition units benefiting more than 2,000 farmers, with a total storage capacity of 2,440 tonnes. Annual production reaches approximately 13,000 tonnes of dates, generating around 520 million dirhams in revenue and an estimated 349 million dirhams in added value, while contributing to the creation of nearly 424,000 working days annually. These figures reflect the economic and social importance of the date sector and its role in supporting farmers’ incomes, expanding employment opportunities and stimulating economic activity in oasis areas.

The Erfoud International Date Fair serves as a platform for exchanging experience and expertise among various institutional and professional stakeholders, as well as an opportunity to strengthen partnerships and explore new investment prospects. It thereby contributes to the development of the agricultural sector, job creation and improved living conditions for local communities, particularly in rural and oasis areas.

Through its participation in this national event with an international dimension, the Souss-Massa region is reaffirming its determination to showcase its economic and agricultural assets, support the development of local products and strengthen the role of the social and solidarity economy in supporting producers and cooperatives. In doing so, it contributes to creating added value and expanding the presence of local products in national markets.