Tunisian Distributors Allegedly Selling Algerian Dates to Morocco as Domestic Product

As the holy month of Ramadan approaches, Tunisian operators are circumventing Moroccan merchants’ refusal to import Algerian dates. They buy these dates at low prices, then resell them to Moroccan importers, presenting them as Tunisian products, accompanied by false certificates of Tunisian origin, observes the daily Assabah. Yet many Moroccans have repeatedly called for a boycott of Algerian dates.

The Date Merchants Association recently organized a sit-in at the Derb Milan market in Casablanca, one of the largest date markets in the Kingdom, to protest against the import of Algerian dates. According to the protesters, the import of Algerian dates, in addition to the health risks they could pose, contradicts the principles of supporting the Moroccan economy. This action aimed to support local date production. The protesters called on the government to intensify its efforts to prevent these products from entering Moroccan markets.

The kingdom has rich date oases in several regions, such as Zagora, Tafilalet and Ouarzazate, capable of meeting local market needs with high quality and competitive prices. Local production has also developed thanks to investments in the southern oases, particularly in the Tafilalet and Drâa regions. As a result, the local supply has increased by 15%. It is necessary to continue this support for Moroccan date producers. "Local production covers a large part of the market’s needs. Imports should therefore be limited to luxury varieties or restricted quantities," argues an informed source.