Moroccan Olive Oil Prices Surge Amid Drought, Sparking Fraud Concerns

Like other olive-producing countries, the kingdom is expecting a drop in production. If in Spain the harvest will be down 40%, in Morocco, the latest bulletin from the International Olive Council in November, forecasts a 20% drop.

As a result, the prices of olive oil, a key ingredient in local cuisine, have skyrocketed. This situation could, however, have an impact on demand, the document points out, noting that it has already caused a drop in consumption, which is usually significant.

Credited with only 2% of the vegetable oil market in the country, the olive oil market must absolutely keep its consumers, warns Abdellatif Ghedira, director of the International Olive Council, who encourages producers this year to focus on quality.

In this sense, the president of the Moroccan Interprofessional Federation of Olive (Interprolive) has warned of an increase in fraud. Locally, olive oil being sold in bulk, it can easily be extended with another cheaper vegetable oil.