-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DOCUMENT CONTROL (HEADER) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Document ID : DARX_BI_REF_001 Title : Moroccan Olive Oil Report 2026: producing regions, production figures, terroir, ONSSA regulatory status, competitive landscape, sourcing relevance for buyers Version : 1.1 Status : ACTIVE Classification : Internal; Confidential; for sourcing and strategic use Prepared By : PYB / Daralbeida Reviewed By : (pending) Approved By : (pending) Approval Date : (pending) Owner : PYB / Daralbeida Date Created : 2026-04-01 Last Revised : 2026-06-13 00:00 UTC Update Cycle : 90 days Next Review Due : 2026-09-11 Annual Review : 2027-06-13 Retention : 3 years from date of creation Department : BI Style : BPGP Keywords : Morocco, olive oil, EVOO, sourcing, Picholine Marocaine, terroir, ONSSA, IOC, Interprolive, business intelligence Related Docs : DARX_OPS_SOURCING_SOP_001; DARX_BI_MOROCCO_SUBSIDIES_001 Supersedes : DARX_BI_MOROCCO_OIL_REPORT_20260401.txt Superseded By : (none, current version) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OUTLINE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Purpose and Scope 2. Executive Summary 3. Producing Regions, Full Inventory 3.1 Regional Breakdown and Characteristics 4. Production Figures and Trends 4.1 Historical and Recent Performance 4.2 Area and Infrastructure Evolution 5. Terroir Specifications and Varieties 5.1 Dominant Variety and Agronomic Profile 5.2 Terroir Variability and Scientific Evidence 6. ONSSA Regulatory Status and Quality Framework 6.1 ONSSA Role and Compliance 6.2 Geographical Indications and Differentiation 7. Competitive Landscape 7.1 Global Position 7.2 Key Competitors and Differentiation 7.3 Market Trends and Opportunities 8. Sourcing Relevance for Foreign Buyers 8.1 Strategic Advantages 8.2 Recommendations and Risk Mitigation 9. AI Prompts 10. Revision History 11. Acronyms 12. Glossary DOCUMENT CONTROL (FOOTER) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ================================================================================ 1. PURPOSE AND SCOPE ================================================================================ This document is the Daralbeida comprehensive reference report on Moroccan olive oil production, covering producing regions, production figures, terroir and variety specifications, regulatory status, competitive landscape, and sourcing relevance for foreign buyers. All data is as of April 2026, and the sources are listed in the document header. This report is classified for sourcing and strategic internal use, and it must not be distributed externally without founder approval. ================================================================================ 2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ================================================================================ Morocco stands as a rising global force in olive oil, ranking among the top 5 to 8 producers worldwide, with significant expansion under the Generation Green 2020-2030 strategy (the successor to the Plan Maroc Vert). With over 1.2 million hectares under cultivation, predominantly the resilient Picholine Marocaine variety (90%+ of plantings), the sector delivered a record rebound forecast of 200,000 tons of olive oil for the 2025/26 campaign, following a drought-affected 90,000 tons in 2024/25. Key regions (Fes-Meknes, Oriental, Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima) account for roughly 67% of production, with Fes-Meknes alone holding 60% of crushing capacity. The sector benefits from diverse terroirs spanning Mediterranean to semi-arid climates, yielding robust, high-polyphenol extra virgin olive oils with strong export potential. Regulatory oversight by ONSSA ensures IOC-aligned quality and safety, while a maturing national Geographical Indication system (via OMPIC) adds premium differentiation. For foreign buyers, Morocco offers competitive pricing, scalable supply, modern logistics (the Tangier-Med port), and improving traceability, making it well suited to bulk, private-label, or terroir-specific sourcing amid global supply volatility. Key metrics at a glance: Metric Value and notes ────────────────────────── ──────────────────────────────────────────────── Cultivated area ~1.2 million ha; 65% of fruit-tree area Oil output 2024/25 ~90,000 tons; drought impact; IOC confirmed Oil output 2025/26 200,000 tons (forecast); olives ~2M; Interprolive Long-term average output 140,000-160,000 t/yr; higher with irrigation Dominant variety Picholine Marocaine (90%+); high-polyphenol Main regions (67%) Fes-Meknes, Oriental, TTA; Fes-Meknes 60% crushing Exports (recent) ~3,800 t to US in 2024; EU primary; tariff edge Organic area (2024) 4,215 ha certified; conversion ongoing Sources: Interprolive (September 2025 forecasts), MAPM ministerial statements, IOC, and FiBL/IFOAM organic data. ================================================================================ 3. PRODUCING REGIONS, FULL INVENTORY ================================================================================ Olive cultivation spans nearly all Moroccan bioclimatic zones, from the humid Rif mountains (over 1,200 mm of rainfall) to the arid Saharan fringes (under 200 mm), excluding only the wettest Atlantic coastal strip. The 2017/18 MAPM baseline of 1.045 million hectares has grown to roughly 1.2 million hectares today. Production is concentrated in three regions accounting for 67% of national olive output (per the MAPM 2025 statement), and Fes-Meknes dominates the processing infrastructure. 3.1 REGIONAL BREAKDOWN AND CHARACTERISTICS Region Approximate area and characteristics ────────────────────────── ──────────────────────────────────────────────── Fes-Meknes 346,000+ ha; 27%+ national olives; 60% crushing Marrakech-Safi (Haouz) 215,000+ ha; Atlas foothills; semi-arid, irrigated Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima 163,000+ ha; Rif north; high rainfall, fresh oils Oriental (eastern) 123,000+ ha; arid east; continental, resilient Beni Mellal-Khenifra 80,000+ ha; Tadla irrigated plains; high yields Rabat-Sale-Kenitra (Gharb) 66,000+ ha; Atlantic, humid; intensive systems Souss-Massa, Draa-Tafilalet 19,000-35,000 ha est.; oasis/arid; Skoura GI Casablanca-Settat and south <20,000 ha; minor coastal/southwest fringes Source: MAPM via OLIVAE 125 (IOC, roughly 2019 data updated with 2025 ministerial statements); Interprolive; regional investment reports. Key insight: the north-central corridor (Fes-Meknes plus Oriental plus TTA) forms the productive core. Southern and oasis regions offer unique differentiation, such as the Skoura "Oasis" GI. Irrigation expansion (localized systems now over 176,000 ha nationally) is shifting production toward higher, more stable yields in the plains while preserving the traditional rainfed character in the mountains. ================================================================================ 4. PRODUCTION FIGURES AND TRENDS ================================================================================ 4.1 HISTORICAL AND RECENT PERFORMANCE Moroccan olive oil production has grown more than 70% over 25 years, driven by area expansion, irrigation, and modernization (new mills and two-phase systems). Yields run from 1.2 to 2.0 tons of olives per hectare rainfed and from 1.4 to 2.7 tons per hectare irrigated, with higher figures under modern practices. Oil extraction is roughly 18% to 22% for Picholine. Alternating bearing and climate stress (droughts and heat during flowering) cause high inter-annual variability. Campaign / year Olive oil (tons) and notes ────────────────────────── ──────────────────────────────────────────────── 2025/26 (forecast) 200,000; olives ~2,000,000; Interprolive Sep 2025 2024/25 ~90,000; olives ~950,000; drought/heat; -11% YoY 2023/24 (approx.) 106,000; IOC preliminary 2021/22 (record) 190,000+; IOC historical peak 2015-2018 average 127,500; olives ~1,414,000; MAPM/IOC OLIVAE 2003-2007 average 66,000; olives 549,000; pre-Green Morocco baseline Long-term trend +5.9% CAGR (1966-2021); sustained growth Sources: Interprolive, IOC statistics (2025 dashboards), MAPM ministerial data (Hespress 2025), and academic forecasts. 4.2 AREA AND INFRASTRUCTURE EVOLUTION - Area growth: 773,000 ha in 2009, to 1,045,000 ha in 2017/18, to roughly 1.2 million ha in 2025 (the target was exceeded). - Irrigation: localized drip is now over 176,000 ha (17%+ of the total, a large increase from 39,000 ha in 2009), thanks to 80% to 100% state subsidies. Gravity systems still dominate but are converting. - Mills: hundreds modernized and approved by ONSSA; processing capacity has expanded significantly (Fes-Meknes is 60% of national capacity), and two-phase systems reduce waste. - Employment: over 50 million workdays per year and roughly 380,000 jobs (20% women); the sector is a rural anchor. ================================================================================ 5. TERROIR SPECIFICATIONS AND VARIETIES ================================================================================ 5.1 DOMINANT VARIETY AND AGRONOMIC PROFILE Picholine Marocaine (also called Moroccan Picholine) constitutes over 90% of national plantings. It is dual-purpose (table olives plus oil), shows exceptional adaptation to Moroccan conditions (drought, heat, and poor soils), has an oil yield of 18% to 22%, low acidity, and high stability. Its signature trait is elevated polyphenols, often 300 to 700+ ppm in stressed or rainfed conditions, which confer robust bitterness, pungency, and fruitiness, plus superior shelf life and health benefits (anti-inflammatory and antioxidant). Other varieties include Haouzia and Menara (local massal selections from Picholine for homogeneity and yield); introduced varieties for intensification (Arbequina, Arbosana, and Koroneiki, in super-high-density orchards); and INRA-developed varieties (Agdal, Tassaoute, Dalia, and Baraka, bred for high oleic content, regular bearing, and disease resistance). 5.2 TERROIR VARIABILITY AND SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE Morocco's diverse edaphoclimatic conditions (altitude, rainfall of 200 to 1,200 mm, soil types from alluvial to rocky, and varied temperature regimes) produce distinct oil profiles. Peer-reviewed studies (Bajoub et al., Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2015 and 2016; Food Chemistry, 2016) on Meknes-region monovarietal Picholine oils across multiple seasons demonstrated that HPLC phenolic profiling (secoiridoids, lignans, and flavonoids) enables reliable discrimination of sub-terroirs, identifying three basic units in Meknes. Moroccan oils consistently show high secoiridoid content and a characteristic signature distinct from European counterparts, linked to intense solar radiation, water stress, and varietal genetics. For example, the Amizmiz terroir is noted for exceptionally high phenols (over 400 to 700 ppm) and stability. Climate and soil interactions vary by region: the north and Rif give fresher, greener notes from higher rainfall; the Atlas foothills around Marrakech give intense, nutty, herbaceous oils; and the southern oases give a unique mineral and ripe-fruit character. Irrigation modulates quality, and deficit irrigation can enhance quality while saving 38% to 57% of water per INRA trials. Ripeness at harvest is critical for positive attributes. ================================================================================ 6. ONSSA REGULATORY STATUS AND QUALITY FRAMEWORK ================================================================================ 6.1 ONSSA ROLE AND COMPLIANCE The Office National de Securite Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires (ONSSA) is the competent authority for food safety, hygiene, and export certification. All olive mills require ONSSA approval and authorization, with hundreds issued (for example, 222 pressing units by the late 2010s, expanded since). Decree 1004-20 (2020) approved the Good Sanitary Practices Guide for the virgin olive oil sector. Laboratories (LOARC in Casablanca, and Morocco Foodex regional labs in Meknes and Agadir) are IOC-recognized for physico-chemical analysis, and tasting panels are IOC-recognized for organoleptic evaluation. No significant export rejections for sanitary reasons have been reported in recent seasons, and the sector emphasizes full traceability, with HACCP encouraged and aligned for exports. 6.2 GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS AND DIFFERENTIATION Morocco operates a national GI and AOP system under Law 25-06 (the OMPIC register), comparable to the EU PGI and PDO systems. Existing olive oil GIs include Essaouira Mogador, Guerrouane, Tadiynit-Nador, Oasis Skoura, and Huile d'olive Tyout-Chiadma (AOP). The 2026 Ministry of Agriculture "Richness of the Terroir" initiative is accelerating new certifications (with a target of four more olive oil GIs and one more AOP), with Fes-Meknes leading (Zerhoune, Lemta Fes, Sefrou, Outat El Haj, and others). The benefits are origin authenticity, higher export value, rural development, and protection against mislabeling, and they align with the Generation Green valorization of territorial brands. Export readiness is strong: products meet or exceed IOC trade standards (acidity, peroxide, UV, fatty acids, sterols, and contaminants), health certificates are issued by ONSSA, and a growing number of producers achieve additional certifications such as organic (per FiBL) and ISO. ================================================================================ 7. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE ================================================================================ 7.1 GLOBAL POSITION Morocco ranks 5th to 8th globally, depending on the weather-driven volume, behind Spain (the dominant producer with peaks near 1.4 million tons), Italy, Turkey, Tunisia, and Greece. Its world share is roughly 2% to 3%. Its strengths are its cost structure, its polyphenol-rich robust style (which appeals to health and blending markets), and tariff advantages in select markets (for example, recent US tariffs favor Morocco over the EU and Tunisia, at 10% versus 15% to 25%). Its weaknesses are supply volatility, less mature branding than Spain or Italy, and a historical focus on bulk. 7.2 KEY COMPETITORS AND DIFFERENTIATION Competitor Morocco's edge ────────────────────────── ──────────────────────────────────────────────── Spain (volume leader) Lower costs; tariff advantage in non-EU markets Tunisia (bulk pricing) Better logistics; higher polyphenol; GI push Italy (premium, blending) Direct sourcing; price/quality; own terroir Turkey (rapid expansion) Climate-resilience focus; European proximity 7.3 MARKET TRENDS AND OPPORTUNITIES - Exports are growing: the EU is the primary destination (Italy and Spain), the US is rising on the tariff edge (roughly 3,835 tons and 38 million USD to the US in 2024). Bulk dominates, but packaged and GI volumes are increasing. - Domestic consumption is roughly 100,000+ tons equivalent, leaving a surplus for export in good years. - Generation Green 2020-2030 drives modernization, quality and traceability, and territorial branding, positioning Morocco for the premium segment. - Challenges remain: climate resilience (drip irrigation and new varieties), fragmentation, and the marketing investment still needed. ================================================================================ 8. SOURCING RELEVANCE FOR FOREIGN BUYERS ================================================================================ 8.1 STRATEGIC ADVANTAGES Supply security and scale: the expanding area, the irrigation rollout, and the 2025/26 rebound (a 200,000-ton forecast) provide reliable volume for bulk EVOO contracts, and Interprolive aggregates producers and millers for streamlined sourcing. Quality and differentiation: high-polyphenol Picholine oils (robust, stable, and health-positioned) excel in blending or standalone premium lines, while emerging GI and terroir oils (the Fes-Meknes cluster) command premiums. ONSSA-approved and IOC-compliant mills ensure low rejection risk, with lab-verified acidity, peroxides, and phenolics. Cost and logistics: competitive FOB pricing reflects labor and land advantages, and world-class ports (Tangier-Med, a major container hub roughly 7 days from New York, and Casablanca) plus road and rail integration and open-sky aviation for samples support reliable shipping. Sustainability and traceability: 4,215 ha of organic area in 2024 plus ongoing conversion, the Generation Green emphasis on eco-practices, and the national olive register plus GI specifications all improve origin and traceability, with HACCP and ISO common in export-oriented mills. 8.2 RECOMMENDATIONS AND RISK MITIGATION - Partner with Interprolive and MAPM programs for vetted suppliers, contract farming, or co-investment in modern capacity. - Due diligence: require an ONSSA approval certificate, recent lab analysis (IOC parameters plus phenolics), traceability documents, and preferably GI or estate certification. Site audits are recommended. - Contract strategy: use multi-year agreements or volume commitments to buffer climate variability, and diversify across two to three regions (the Fes-Meknes core plus Marrakech plus the north). - Product specifications: specify EVOO (acidity 0.8% or less, peroxide 20 or less), a polyphenol minimum for health claims, the harvest date, the variety (Picholine-dominant), and the target sensory profile. - Opportunities for 2026 and beyond: a bumper-crop window for spot and bulk purchases, GI launch timing for exclusive terroir lines, and US-market tariff arbitrage. - Risks: yield swings (biennial bearing plus drought); verify there is no pomace or lampante contamination in the supply chain; and account for currency (MAD) and logistics-cost fluctuations. Conclusion: Morocco represents a high-potential, cost-effective sourcing destination for quality EVOO, with strong upside from policy support, area expansion, and quality upgrades. Foreign buyers who engage proactively with Interprolive, prioritize verified ONSSA-compliant and IOC-compliant partners, and leverage emerging GI differentiation will secure reliable, differentiated supply amid tightening global markets. ================================================================================ 9. AI PROMPTS ================================================================================ This section is mandatory under BPGP rule R2. The prompt below, pasted into a fresh AI chat with no other context, regenerates this report with refreshed figures. Edit the bracketed tokens before running. ================================================================================ START OF PROMPT ================================================================================ Produce the Daralbeida Moroccan Olive Oil Report as a single plain-text .txt BPGP v3.1 document. Edit the bracketed values before running. Document ID : DARX_BI_REF_001 New version : [NEXT_VERSION, e.g. 1.2] As-of date : [AS_OF_DATE, e.g. April 2026] Date+time : [YYYYMMDDHHMM in UTC] Supersedes : [PRIOR_FILENAME, e.g. DARX_BI_MOROCCO_OIL_REPORT_20260613.txt] 1. Obey BPGP v3.1 in full (see DARH_STDS_BPGP_001): 1a. Plain-text .txt only; no HTML, markdown, bullet symbols, or markup. 1b. Each body paragraph is ONE line; paragraphs separated by one blank line. 1c. Every non-paragraph line is 80 characters or fewer. 1d. Top-level sections use the Bar-Title-Bar pattern: 80 equals, then "N. TITLE IN ALL CAPS", then 80 equals. 1e. Tables use the Unicode U+2500 box-drawing bar as the column separator, never the ASCII hyphen, and every row fits within 80 characters. 1f. The absolute final line is the exact string END OF DOCUMENT. 2. Keep these numbered sections, in order: Purpose and Scope; Executive Summary; Producing Regions; Production Figures and Trends; Terroir Specifications and Varieties; ONSSA Regulatory Status and Quality Framework; Competitive Landscape; Sourcing Relevance for Foreign Buyers; AI Prompts; Revision History; Acronyms; Glossary. 3. Refresh all production figures, areas, export numbers, and forecasts against the named sources (MAPM, Interprolive, IOC, ONSSA) as of [AS_OF_DATE], and flag any value that could not be verified as an approximation in the prose. 4. Keep the Classification, Owner, and Distribution unchanged unless directed. Carry forward any requested content changes here: [DESCRIBE_CHANGES_OR_WRITE_NONE]. ================================================================================ END OF PROMPT ================================================================================ ================================================================================ 10. REVISION HISTORY ================================================================================ Version Date Author Summary of changes ─────── ────────── ────── ───────────────────────────────────────────── 1.0 2026-04-01 PYB Initial issue; CRLF source normalized. 1.1 2026-06-13 PYB Reformatted to BPGP v3.1: renumbered the content sections so the viewer creates a navigable anchor for each; rebuilt the four tables with U+2500 separators within 80 columns; added the mandatory AI Prompts and Revision History sections; converted IDs to underscores; fixed the END OF DOCUMENT line. ================================================================================ 11. ACRONYMS ================================================================================ AOP Appellation d'Origine Protegee (protected designation of origin) BI Business Intelligence (department code) CAGR Compound Annual Growth Rate EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil FFA Free Fatty Acids (acidity measure) FOB Free On Board (shipping price term) GI Geographical Indication (quality designation) HACCP Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points HPLC High-Performance Liquid Chromatography INRA Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (Morocco) IOC International Olive Council ISO International Organization for Standardization MAD Moroccan Dirham (currency) MAPM Ministere de l'Agriculture et de la Peche Maritime (Morocco) OMPIC Office Marocain de la Propriete Industrielle et Commerciale ONSSA Office National de Securite Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires PDO Protected Designation of Origin (EU) PGI Protected Geographical Indication (EU) PMV Plan Maroc Vert (Green Morocco Plan, 2008-2019) PYB Internal reference code for the Daralbeida founder TTA Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima (Moroccan administrative region) ================================================================================ 12. GLOSSARY ================================================================================ Daralbeida Brand name of the premium Moroccan EVOO venture. Always written as one word. EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The highest IOC grade, with free fatty acids of 0.8% maximum. Fes-Meknes The primary Moroccan olive-producing region, with roughly 346,000 to 420,000 hectares. The key terroir for Picholine Marocaine and the Daralbeida primary sourcing region. Generation Green 2020-2030 Morocco's current national agricultural strategy. It expands olive cultivation, modernizes irrigation, and develops exports. It is the successor to the Plan Maroc Vert (2008-2019). Interprolive Morocco's inter-professional olive oil sector body. It manages the sector contract with the Moroccan government, co-finances promotion and quality programs, and is a key data source for this report. ONSSA Office National de Securite Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires, the Moroccan food safety authority. It manages the national agrement (sanitary license) system for food production facilities. ONSSA agrement is a mandatory pass/fail criterion for all Daralbeida suppliers. Picholine Marocaine Morocco's dominant olive cultivar, over 90% of cultivation. It has a high-polyphenol profile and is the source of Daralbeida oil. Plan Maroc Vert The Green Morocco Plan, 2008-2019. The first Moroccan agricultural modernization strategy, which drove major expansion of olive cultivation. Abbreviated PMV. Succeeded by Generation Green 2020-2030. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DOCUMENT CONTROL (FOOTER) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Document ID : DARX_BI_REF_001 Version : 1.1 Status : ACTIVE Last Revised : 2026-06-13 00:00 UTC Update Cycle : 90 days Next Review Due : 2026-09-11 Annual Review : 2027-06-13 Owner : PYB / Daralbeida Distribution : Internal; for sourcing and strategic use only. Do not distribute externally without founder approval. Review Triggers : Upon any material Interprolive or MAPM data update; upon a significant change to the ONSSA regulatory framework. COMPLIANCE : All production figures are drawn from named official sources and peer-reviewed studies as of April 2026. Verify current data with Interprolive and the IOC before using any production statistic in investor materials. Revision History: See Section 10. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- END OF DOCUMENT --------------------------------------------------------------------------------