Morocco Refutes Food Crisis Claims Amid Trade Deficit with Gulf States

Trade between Morocco and the United Arab Emirates - Saudi Arabia couple shows a chronic deficit in favor of the said couple, reports EcoActu. The provisional figures for 2019 show that the deficit is around 18.65 billion DH against a deficit of 16.98 billion DH in 2018. Morocco’s exports to these two countries were limited in 2019 to 1.85 billion DH against 1.76 billion DH in 2018, while Morocco’s imports from these same countries are estimated at 20.50 billion DH in 2019 against 18.74 billion DH in 2018.

This trade deficit does not put Morocco in a position of dependence. Especially since the bulk of imports (60%) is made up of energy and mining products. The citizens of these two countries, who are harshly criticizing the kingdom and publishing fake news about the feeding of its population, should rather be concerned about the collapse of oil prices, the only source of enrichment for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

This means that those who claim that famine is affecting the Moroccan population in this period of food crisis are completely wrong. With its so generous and fertile lands, Morocco feeds its population and that of other countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

For the year 2019, the kingdom exported to these two countries dairy products for 93 MDH, vegetables for 78 MDH, fruits for 238 MDH, coffee, tea and spices for 11 billion DH, fats and oils for 17 MDH, meat and fish preparations for 35 MDH, fruit and vegetable preparations for 45 MDH, various food preparations for 30 MDH, cereal-based preparations for 13 MDH...