Cactus, a safe bet for the local economy

Cactus cultivation is one of the dominant activities in the Guelmim-Smara region, and the Green Morocco Plan has made it one of its battlehorses. The cactus production area extends along the entire Atlantic fringe of this region (which includes the provinces of Guelmim, Tan Tan, Assa-Zag, and Tata). The fruit supply period ranges from June to December. However, a large part of the production perishes on the vine due to a lack of adequate logistics.Cactus yields per hectare vary from one year to another and from one farm to another depending on rainfall, density, variety, and the age of the plantation. The average yield in the area is estimated at 10 t/ha with a total production of about 24,000 t, of which only 50% is harvested and 2,000 t marketed.In the opinion of local farmers, the constraints to the development of cactus cultivation mainly lie in the producers' lack of knowledge of m…