Ahmed AIT HMIDA , Lhassane SIKAOUI , Mohammed KARROU , Vinay

NANGIA and Theib OWEIS

Production cost and profitability of olive tree under two treatments of drip

irrigation in the Haouz of Marrakesh in Morocco.

OLIVEBIOTEQ 2014 Amman, Jordan, 3-6 November, 2014

1. Introduction

2. Methodology

3. Results

Conclusion & recommendations

In Morocco, olive area exceeds 950,000 hectares. Annual production of olives : around 1.5 million tons. Olive irrigated areas : 44% of the olive trees area. Only 30,000 Ha conducted in drip irrigation. Olive tree grow without irrigation under 400 to 600 mm of water/year. But, higher yields require 600 to 800 mm of water.

There is a great loss of irrigation water

Efficiency of irrigation must take in consideration economic and environmental criteria:

• optimization of productivity and profitability for farmer ;

• Improving the competitivity of crops ;

• Preservation of sustainability and productive assets for community.

What effect of deficit irrigation on the productivity

and the profitability of olive orchard ?

Exploring the potential of deficit irrigation as a

mean to reduce the production cost and therefore

increase profits for farmers.

1. Introduction

2. Methodology

3. Results

Conclusion & recommendations

Marrakesh °

Atlantique Ocean Morocco

Experimental orchard

Experiment conducted in

the experimental farm

at Tessaout (50 Km

from Marrakesh)

• Inputs of irrigation water have considered the rainfall recorded

in the region (154 mm in 2012 and 187 mm in 2013)

• Treatments of irrigation : 70 % ETc and 100 % ETc

ETc = ETo x Kc x Kr/Ne

• ETo : reference evapotranspiration (Penman Monteith) ; • Kc : crop coefficient for olive tree ; • Kr : corrector coefficient ; • Ne : efficiency of irrigation network.

• Area of plots of experimentation : 0.5 Ha for deficit

irrigation and 0.5 Ha for full irrigation • Density of the orchard : 156 trees/Ha (8 m x 8 m) in

intensive system

• Orchard age : 35 years

• Data relate to 2012 and 2013

1. Introduction

2. Methodology

3. Results

Conclusion & recommendations

Table 1. Irrigation cost

Designation

Amount of

water (m3/Ha)

Irrigation cost

(MAD*/Ha)

Irrigation

cost

(MAD/Kg

olives) 2012 2013 2012 2013

DI 4,920 3,890 2,927 2,315 0.38

FI 6,490 5,560 3,764 3,225 0.53

* : 1 MAD = 0.12 $

Table 2 : Production cost of olives (MAD/Ha)

Designation DI FI Tillages 850 850

Fertilization 3,000 3,000

phyto. Treat. 1,050 1,050

Pruning 2,810 2,810

Irrigation 2,620 3,490

Harvesting 6,060 5,880

Direct cost 16,390 17,080

Indirect cost 1,640 1,700

Total of cost 18,030 18,780

Table 3 : Composition of production cost (% of the direct cost)

Designation DI FI

Tillages 5.2 5

Fertilization 18.3 17.6

phyto. Treat. 6.4 6.1

Pruning 17.1 16.5

Irrigation 16 20.4

Harvesting 37 34.4

Yield and production cost

Deficit irrigation - Yield 2012 : 7.76 - Yield 2013 : 8.85 - Average : 8.3 Production cost : 2.17

Full irrigation - Yield 2012 : 7.57 - Yield 2013 : 8.55 - Average : 8.06 Production cost : 2.33

- Yield (T/Ha) - Production cost (MAD/Kg of olives)

Production cost has decreased by 6.87 %

Table 4 : Gross margin of olive oil production (per Ha).

Treatment

Olive oil

(L)

Amount

(MAD)

Production

cost

(MAD)

Gross margin

(MAD/Ha)

DI

1,660

58,100

23,013

35,087

FI

1,612

56,420

23,616

32,804

Gross margin improved with 2.52 % in the case of deficit irrigation.

1. Introduction

2. Methodology

3. Results

Conclusion & recommendations

Deficit irrigation at 70% ETc gave the following

results :

• Decrease in the production cost of olives ;

• Small increase in gross margin of production of

olive oil ;

• Economics of irrigation water

Gains :

• Competitivity of the olive sector

• Sustainability of irrigation water resource

Deficit irrigation offers real opportunities for olive

trees in intensive system in semi-arid regions

Other experiments on other doses of irrigation

water and other systems of olive trees will

contribute to optimize the profitability of

irrigation water.

Thank you for your attention