Sardine Prices Soar in Morocco as Ramadan Approaches

The sardine, also called the poor man’s fish, has become an inaccessible luxury for low-income Moroccan households. Currently, the price of a kilo of sardine varies between 25 and 30 dirhams depending on the markets, while the price of the crate has reached 800 dirhams, reports Al Ahdath Al Maghribia.

According to professionals, this record rise in sardine prices in just one month would be due to unfavorable weather conditions, the decline in national production, the increase in the cost of going out to sea (logistics and fuel), and the establishment of the biological rest period.

This rise in prices worries Moroccan households who wonder if they will be able to have sardines on their table during Ramadan, which starts in a few weeks. The prices of this highly prized product could further skyrocket during the holy month when demand is high.

Questioned by parliament on this price increase, Ahmed El Bouari, the Minister of Agriculture and Maritime Fisheries, explained that "some surface fish are more exposed to the consequences of climate change and human activities, particularly the sardine, which lives at a temperature of 18 degrees".

As the world’s leading producer of sardines, Morocco supplies more than 60 countries in Africa and France. Moroccan sardines are considered the best in their category and the most sought after worldwide.