Drought Drives Moroccan Olive Oil Prices to Record Highs

Many farmers have expressed concerns about olive production, which requires a large amount of water, in this period of severe drought. They fear an increase in olive oil prices due to this situation. Last year, a liter of olive oil had cost between 75 and 80 dirhams and could reach at least 100 dirhams this season due to unfavorable weather conditions for production and difficulties related to harvesting, transportation, etc.

"Many farm owners in the region are pessimistic about this year’s productivity. Some farmers still hope for the two remaining months of the season, new rainfall. But in any case, overall production will not be abundant," said Ahmed Moufid, a farmer in the suburbs of Taza, to Hespress, stressing that if "the current prices in Taza, the production site, range between 75 and 80 dirhams", they already reach "90 dirhams in cities like Rabat, Casablanca and Tangier" and could "exceed 100 dirhams if the situation persists".

The situation is worrying, confirms Abdelaziz Tidili, an olive oil trader in El-Atawiya, on the outskirts of Kalaat Sraghna, specifying that "the price of olives has recently reached record levels, the kilo reaching 12 dirhams on the tree before even being picked". The drought has affected production this year and "there will again be a gap between supply and demand," he warns, adding that this situation could make olive oil "a product for the middle or upper classes" and promote the arrival of "adulterated oils" on the market.

To recall, Mohammed Sadiki, the Minister of Agriculture, had met in September with the officials of the Moroccan Interprofessional Federation of Olive (INTERPROLIVE) to reflect on the continued development of the sector within the framework of the Green Generation strategy. Morocco aims to produce 3.5 million tons of olives annually by 2030. About two million tons were produced in the kingdom for the 2021-2022 season.