Divisi
When to plant Irish potato in Oriental
Morocco
The Irish potato (mbatatisi, ikirayi, viazi mviringo) is a cool-weather crop grown for the tubers that swell underground — it is not a grain, and it is not the same plant as sweet potato.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 22 Sep 2026 – 22 Oct 2026 open now | same |
| Expected harvest | 16.0–20.1 t/ha | about 40.8 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 1 Dec 2026 to 1 Mar 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 70–130 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 110–185 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 70% | |
Rain-fed. These dates are worked out from each place's own rainfall, for a field watered by the season — with irrigation a window can open earlier, close later, or come round more than once a year. Check your own field under What grows, or get the Divisi app for a calendar dated to your farm.
If you only get one chance to plant, aim for around 12 Oct 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Oriental is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 22 Oct 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Oriental
| Rain and temperature | 88% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For irish potato in Oriental, the soil is the tightest of the three at 76%. This is the one you can actually move. Lime raises a sour soil, manure and compost lift what it holds, and both work within a season or two — money spent here changes the answer.
The 2026/27 season in Oriental
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to April 2027 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 295 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 270 mm in the driest of 8 districts to about 326 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 295 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.2 °C over the growing months. Heat makes the same rain do less, so a dry spell bites sooner: do not plant late, and shade or mulch what you can. |
| What that supports | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it, warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth |
| Ground this covers | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 57% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth no rain-fed season · about 210 mm |
|---|---|
| 30% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 135 growing days · about 300 mm · October to March |
| 6% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date no rain-fed season · about 200 mm |
| 4% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 204 growing days · about 440 mm · October to April |
last updated 18 September 2026 · from all 8 areas within it
What irish potato needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained loam or sandy loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.0 and 6.5 |
| Spacing | 75 cm between rows, 28 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | potassium and magnesium |
What it takes to grow irish potato in Oriental
| Planting material | About 47,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 61 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 18 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 107 kg per hectare |
| In the shops | A basal compound at planting — Compound D, or an NPK blend — covers the phosphate and potash. A nitrogen top dressing — urea or AN — goes on once the crop is established. |
| Hand work | 110–185 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a irish potato crop of that size carries off the field. What you actually apply depends on what your soil already holds — which is what a soil test, or the app's field records, tell you.
What to watch for
Grow Irish potato with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Oriental as a whole — your own soil, slope and rainfall will shift the dates. The Divisi app works them out for your field, and dates each job that follows.
Irish potato in nearby districts
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Rabat Sale Kenitra
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Casablanca Settat
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Tangier Tetouan Al Hoceima
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Fez Meknes
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Marrakech Safi
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Beni Mellal Khenifra
This calendar moves
Planting windows shift with the forecast. Leave your email and we'll send what changed, and a note when planting time nears — a couple of emails a month at most.
Frequently asked questions
Will irish potato grow well in Oriental?
Oriental rates as favourable for irish potato.
When should I plant irish potato in Oriental?
Typically 22 Sep 2026 to 22 Oct 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Oriental, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
