The Moroccan government is expected to reintroduce a customs duty on soft wheat imports to stimulate sales of local crops affected by rainfall shortfalls, said Chakib Alge, president of the National Millers Federation, on Wednesday.

Earlier in November, Morocco abolished customs duties on imports of soft wheat to maintain price stability.

"Raising customs duties on soft wheat is a common procedure at this time of the year and can last up to three months to protect local production," said the president of the National Federation of Millers of Morocco.

According to forecasts by the country's Ministry of Agriculture, cereal production in Morocco in 2019 will amount to 6.1 million tons, which is 40.7 percent less than last year. This year, the Moroccan crop is expected in volumes of 3.5 million tons of soft wheat, 1.35 million tons of durum wheat and 1.25 million tons of barley, the ministry said.

These preliminary data from the ONICLE state agency for cereal crops show that Morocco can import about 3 million tons of soft wheat this year. Last year, Morocco imported 2.6 million tons of soft wheat, 0.9 million tons of durum wheat and 0.41 million tons of barley.

In Morocco, subsidies are usually offered to local millers to choose domestic wheat instead of imported wheat.