{
  "id": 3226439,
  "title": "Morocco Restarts Wheat Imports on 16 September",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/morocco-restarts-wheat-imports-on-16-september",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-25T08:48:56.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Rio Times",
    "slug": "the-rio-times",
    "url": "https://www.riotimesonline.com/morocco-wheat-imports-restart-september-2026/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Morocco has resumed importing wheat on September 16, 2026, following a circular issued by the Office National Interprofessionnel des Céréales et des Légumineuses (ONICL). This circular renews the import premium for soft milling wheat, covering shipments between September 16 and December 31, 2026. The premium compensates importers for the difference between their port costs and a reference price of 270 dirhams per quintal, which equates to approximately US$293 per tonne at the August rate of 9.2124 dirhams per dollar. The reference price includes a fixed margin of 22.5 dirhams per quintal.\n\nThe Ministry of Agriculture estimated the 2026 cereal crop at around 90 million quintals, with 44 million quintals of soft wheat. However, only about six million quintals of domestic soft wheat were harvested, falling short of the 15 to 20 million quintal target required for industrial mills. The record harvest has left the milling sector in a similar position to what a poor harvest would have left it.\n\nThe import duty of 170% was suspended until September 31, with the suspension resuming on September 1. There is no tonnage cap for the import window, which runs from September 16 to December 31. The state pays importers the difference between the port price and the reference price. The reference price is recalculated monthly based on market prices and freight costs from France, Germany, Argentina, and the United States. The payment is made in two tranches: 80% upon import and the remaining 20% upon delivery to industrial mills.\n\nDespite a record harvest, only around six million quintals of domestic soft wheat were collected, short of the 15 to 20 million quintal target. This has led to the extension of the import scheme until December 31. The mechanism aims to support domestic milling operations, with the state covering the cost gap between the average landed cost of imported wheat and the reference price.",
  "summary": "A record Moroccan harvest produced plenty of grain and very little of it reached the industrial mills, so Rabat is paying importers to bring wheat back in. The post Morocco Restarts Wheat Imports on 16 September appeared first on The Rio Times .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}