Garlic Prices Soar in Morocco as Coronavirus Disrupts Global Supply

The dizzying rise in the price of this high-consumption product is justified by its scarcity on the market. This scarcity is due to the considerable drop in the volume of Chinese and Spanish exports since the appearance of COVID-19.

Medias24.com has found that garlic is sold at 40 DH per kilo at the central market in Casablanca, 45 DH at Acima, and between 36 and 40 DH at Derb Soltane and Sidi Moumen. These are the consequences of Morocco’s direct import of garlic from China and Spain.

China is the world’s largest producer of garlic. It produces 80% of global demand. The market is also experiencing the same price surge for the same reasons. The United States, which imports 70% of its garlic demand from China, saw a 29% increase in February 2020. Spain, the leading producer of garlic in Europe, is having serious difficulties in meeting demands from South America and Africa, even though exports have increased by 20 to 30% since the beginning of the year, thanks to foreign demand.