Drought Drives Olive Oil Prices to Record Highs in Morocco

"This year, the olive tree produces less, and the labels bear the mark of it. Black olives now fluctuate between 30 and 40 dirhams per kilogram. Those hand-picked on the branches are negotiated, ex-factory, between 15 and 20 dirhams per kilogram," explains a local merchant to Le360, who sources mainly in Chiadma, Sraghna, Taourirt and Guercif, specifying that prices can soar up to 50 dirhams per kilogram in supermarkets. "Here, despite everything, we strive not to exceed the measure," he adds.

The same goes for another merchant. "Prices have risen sharply this season, sometimes jumping by 15 dirhams per kilogram. Black olives, once sold between 16 and 18 dirhams, are now priced at 35 dirhams. The green and red varieties have seen their price almost double, going from 15 to 32 dirhams per kilogram." According to him, the surge in olive oil prices is observed everywhere in the kingdom. "There is undeniably a drop in production. And it’s not really new: prices have risen for two years already," adds a third seller.

According to the orchardists, olive oil production should drop by up to 80% this year compared to last year’s production, depending on the farms in the cultivated areas of El Kelâa des Sraghna, one of the main centers of this culture. "The rise in temperatures has had a negative impact on the entire olive oil industry. The water level in the wells used for irrigation has also declined sharply," explains a farmer interviewed by the same site. "We spent a lot of money to keep our farms viable, but the yield will still be very low."