Moroccan Date Producers Face Competition as Ramadan Approaches

The influx of (fruit widely consumed during the month of Ramadan) Algerian and Tunisian dates is worrying Moroccan producers. The Derb Milan wholesale date markets in Casablanca are experiencing an unprecedented supply of Algerian dates this year, reports the newspaper Al Ittihad. This is enough to undermine the morale of local producers, whose yields have dropped considerably due to climatic challenges, particularly drought.

Majid Abdel Salam, the head of a cooperative, holds the government responsible for this unfortunate situation. He deplores the lack of a clear policy to improve production in the national date sector. To reverse the trend, the official calls for support for the necessary infrastructure for production and marketing.