Coffee Prices Surge 25% in Morocco, Sparking Industry Outrage

The price of a kilo of coffee has gone from 120 dirhams to 150 dirhams, the one sold at 160 dirhams has gone up to 200 dirhams, and the most expensive, initially sold at 200 dirhams, now costs 250 dirhams, an abrupt increase of 25%. "The companies have met and agreed on a 25% increase on their products," denounces Ahmed Boufekrane, national coordinator of the National Federation of Café and Restaurant Owners in Morocco with Hespress. The origin of this increase is external factors such as strong international demand and a drop in production in producing countries. The companies concerned claim that they have tried everything to avoid an increase. Without success. Bouferkane does not believe it, because there is currently, he points out, no major imbalance in the world coffee market.

"We are closely monitoring what is happening internationally, but also in neighboring countries. In Africa, for example, from where we import, there is no problem. Even in Europe, there is no particular tension," he specifies, adding that Moroccan imports mainly go through France, where products from Africa or any other country transit. He will add: "African products or even those from Colombia first go through France before arriving in Morocco, due to the absence of a national logistics hub. This is not new. We have even asked for a logistics hub in Africa, why not in Morocco, to avoid this detour, but in vain."

The federation mainly accuses the dominant companies in the sector of anti-competitive practices. "It is clearly an agreement between these companies. The increase took place on the same day. Where has the Competition Council gone?" it wonders. Based on these findings, it calls on the State to intervene. Bouferkane asks to review the import taxes on coffee. "If the taxes are too high, the government must act," he believes. "Coffee is a widely consumed commodity in Morocco, and we can no longer keep up." He also calls on the Competition Council and the Consumer Protection Association to take a stand against this increase deemed "abusively concerted".

Bouferkane also calls on the government to save the café and restaurant sector, which has been suffering for several years. And he concludes: "Our situation is critical, and we have raised it many times. This price increase is the agony of the sector."