DR ‹ › Morocco's aromatic and medicinal plant sector is undergoing a rapid recovery after emerging from seven years of drought. At the peak of the dry spell, several plants had nearly disappeared from the market, but they are now returning in abundance. Karim Belkheir Goutr, general manager of 4 Seasons Mediterranean Aromas, told Fresh Plaza that until 2025, prices for many plants had surged sharply, while others became almost unavailable. This led to disruptions in supply to international markets and key industries such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food processing. At the source, mint prices rose by 200%, lemon verbena by 150%, and roses by 40% to 50%. Meanwhile, some plants, including oak moss and common ivy, had virtually vanished from the market. «The situation improved with the arrival of heavy rains, as almost all wild plants have recovered and will be abundantly available, such as local mint, Ammi visnaga, wild thyme, oak moss, and wild rosemary», Belkheir said. «The rains and snow that our country experienced were very beneficial». However, like many agricultural products, the sector has also faced setbacks from recent floods. The Ksar El Kebir area, an important hub for mint production, and parts of the Gharb region, known for coriander, were among the hardest hit. «The floods caused significant damage to crops and greenhouses and disrupted exports due to bad weather conditions at ports», he explained. «But there is a clear difference between damage caused by rain and drought after floods, hope remains». Belkheir expects the impact of improved production to be felt soon. «We anticipate strong yields and a real recovery for the sector. Even wild plants will see a notable revival, we are talking about around one million hectares of rosemary alone».
