RABAT, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Morocco cereal crop is expected to fall by 19 percent this year due to rainfall shortage, the agriculture ministry said on Friday.
The kingdom is expected to harvest 6.6 million tonnes of cereal crop, down from 8.2 million tonnes last year, the statement pointed out.
The harvest includes 3.8 million tonnes of soft wheat, 1.5 million tonnes of durum and 1.3 tonnes of barley, the ministry said.
Rainfall was 11 percent less than yearly average and 23 percent less than last season, the same source noted.
Agriculture contributes more than 15 percent of the Moroccan economy and weak harvest is expected to slow its growth.
Morrocco's central bank expects the economy to grow 2.7 percent in 2019, slowing from 3.1 percent in 2018.
