Seasonal farm work in Morocco: a guide to olive, citrus, date and argan harvests

Moroccan farming relies on a large seasonal workforce. Harvests are short, the crop will not wait, and the farm owner needs a ready team within days. Workers, for their part, look for consecutive days of work with clear pay. This guide covers what should be agreed in advance to avoid misunderstandings, from both sides.

What pay to expect

The legal agricultural minimum wage (SMAG) is 97.44 dirhams a day since 1 April 2026. Other pay systems are common, such as per crate or per kilo; if you use one, agree the unit price and the counting method in advance and work out what it gives for a normal day so it does not fall below the minimum. The Labour Code (art. 184) sets normal agricultural working time at 2,496 hours a year.

Checklist to agree before starting

• Pay and its unit: per day, crate or kilo, for how many days, and when it is paid (daily or at week's end).
• Transport: who provides the bus or truck, where it leaves from, and whether pay covers the trip.
• Hours and breaks: start and end times, rest and meal breaks.
• Water and shade: agree that drinking water and a place to rest are available, especially in summer.
• Tools and safety: ladders, gloves, boots, and who covers breakages.
• How many workers are needed and whether relatives can join, always checking legal age.

Tips for workers

Ask for the agreement in writing, even as a message inside the app: pay, days, meeting point. Check that the farm exists and that the person is its owner or representative. Never pay to get a job. Keep the messages and the accepted offer in the app, as they are your evidence if there is a disagreement. If the work is in an area with no signal, Khedma keeps what you have done and sends it when the network returns.

Tips for farm owners

Write a clear description: crop, area, number of days, number of workers, exact location. Set pay at no less than the minimum; fair pay attracts more experienced workers and reduces no-shows. Pay on the agreed date and declare your workers to the CNSS as the law requires. In Khedma's Souk you can compare offers and worker reputation before you accept.