Reviewing Agricultural Trade Policies
To Promote Intra-OIC Agricultural Trade
106
Table 4. 25 NTM Coverage and Frequency Ratios in Agricultural Products, Morocco
Code Sector CR FR Count
A Animal 100.0 100.0 204
B Animal 97.6 94.6 193
F Animal 0.8 1.5 3
P Animal 100.0 100.0 151
A Vegetable 100.0 100.0 317
B Vegetable 97.3 93.4 296
C Vegetable 82.7 86.8 275
F Vegetable 82.7 86.8 275
G Vegetable 55.2 12.3 39
P Vegetable 98.4 95.7 225
A Food Products 65.9 92.4 183
B Food Products 67.9 90.9 180
C Food Products 11.0 35.9 71
F Food Products 24.2 49.5 98
P Food Products 87.3 76.6 121
A Hides and Skins 100.0 100.0 59
B Hides and Skins 13.2 1.7 1
P Hides and Skins 100.0 100.0 48
A Wood 36.1 40.4 91
B Wood 5.2 4.4 10
C Wood 36.1 40.4 91
F Wood 36.1 40.4 91
P Wood 27.9 40.1 65
Source: WITS
Note: A: Sanitary and phytosanitary measures, B: Technical barriers to trade, C: Pre-shipment inspection
and other formalities, F: Charges, taxes and other para-tariff measures, G: Finance Measures, P: Export
related measures
Agricultural trade policies
Agriculture is seen as a crucial aspect of life in Morocco with important political and social
dimensions. The two main purposes of agricultural trade policies are the following: First,
ensuring a minimum level of production in agricultural products is a critical objective regarding
food security, sufficiency and sustainability. Second, protecting the revenue in rural areas and
especially in arid areas and alleviating rural poverty are seen as essential aspects of policy
making.
Trade liberalization of the past decades through tariff reductions is an important leg of
agricultural trade policy in Morocco. But it should also be added that Morocco’s trade regime
remains protective in certain strategic products such as cereals, red meat, and livestock. In some
cereals, quotas are exercised in certain product lines with sufficiently low tariff rates. In red
meat, on the other hand, the main purpose behind prohibitively large tariff rates is to alleviate
poverty risks in arid areas. Morocco has largely adopted the US and EU standards in SPS