Morocco is facing an unprecedented rise in olive oil prices, reaching up to 120 dirhams per liter in some regions. This crisis, fueled by successive droughts and sustained demand, is causing serious concern among consumer protection associations, who point out the risks of speculation and monopolies.
Bouazza Kherrati, president of the Moroccan Federation of Consumer Rights, explains that the crisis goes beyond climate challenges. “The intervention of middlemen before and after the harvest, aimed at monopolizing the market, amplified the rise in prices,” he told Hespress. According to him, Morocco’s recent opening to the importation of Brazilian olive oil could alleviate these pressures. This alternative, considered more affordable than traditional imports from Spain and Italy, could limit the impact of speculators.
For his part, Ali Chtour, president of the Moroccan Association for the Defense of Consumer Rights, denounces fraudulent practices on the market. He calls for an intensification of controls by the government, believing that “the climate crisis must not become a pretext for speculative practices that harm citizens”.
The surge in prices is the result of several combined factors: successive droughts, increases in temperature, the destruction of hectares of olive trees due to diseases and climatic crises, and the increase in the costs of agricultural inputs. These elements forced producers to raise their prices to compensate for their losses.
Agriculture Minister Ahmed El Bouari recently revealed that olive production this season would be 11% lower than the previous year and 40% lower than a normal year, reaching only 950,000 tonnes. Faced with this situation, the government is promising market regulation measures, particularly in terms of imports and exports.
For consumer associations, the crisis also raises health concerns. Ali Chtour warns against purchasing olive oil of dubious provenance in informal markets, where quality is not guaranteed. “It is crucial that everyone takes their responsibilities to avoid food poisoning,” he still insists to the same source.
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In response to this crisis, experts are calling for increased support for small and medium-sized farmers. They advocate training, access to modern tools like drip irrigation, and incentives to encourage sustainable production. These initiatives could make it possible to increase supply while controlling costs.
