The liberalization of butane gas prices continues in Morocco, not without worrying the most vulnerable households. After a first increase in May 2024, which brought the price of the 12 kg bottle to 50 dirhams, a further increase of 10 dirhams is expected.
Mustapha Baitas, government spokesperson, remained discreet on the precise timetable for this increase, indicating only that the executive “would communicate at the appropriate time”. A response that leaves families waiting, while the cost of living continues to increase.
Read: Moroccans will pay (even) more for a gas cylinder
For the government, this reform of the compensation system has become essential. The cost of subsidies, which reaches 65 dirhams per bottle, weighs heavily on the state budget. Nadia Fettah, Minister of Economy and Finance, stressed that this system disproportionately benefits sectors like agriculture, which represents 60% of national consumption. It is therefore necessary, according to her, to concentrate aid on people who really need it.
-Arguments that struggle to convince. The increase in the price of gas, even gradual, could upset the budgetary balance of many households, particularly in rural areas where gas remains essential for cooking and heating. Low-income households, who often have no other solutions, risk paying a high price.
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