Two months after reopening, Morocco could once again block its onion exports

Moroccan authorities are studying this restriction with Morocco Foodex, the body responsible for overseeing and coordinating agri-food exports, reports Hespress.

The measure has not yet been officially announced. The information is based on a source within the Moroccan Association of Exporters of Various Products to Africa and Abroad. According to the source, the discussions are prompted by the current production reaching the end of its cycle.

This period could lead to a reduction in available quantities and an increase in prices in Morocco. Suspending exports would make it possible to reserve a larger share of production for the domestic market.

If adopted, the ban would concern onion shipments to sub-Saharan African markets. Tomatoes and potatoes are already among the products whose exports to these destinations have been suspended.

Exporters fear another reversal

The timing gives the measure particular significance. Moroccan onion exports to Africa resumed in July 2026, after a long period of restrictions. Onion shipments were once again authorized, unlike those of tomatoes and potatoes.

A first ban targeting these three products was introduced in February 2023 to contain prices in Morocco. The restriction on onions was subsequently lifted in 2024, allowing sales abroad to resume strongly.

Professionals now fear that another blockage, just a few weeks after the reopening, could further weaken their commercial relationships. They say they have already lost the confidence of some African investors and importers because of successive changes in export policy.

The authorities must therefore balance two priorities: protecting the purchasing power of Moroccan households and preserving African outlets for producers and exporters. At this stage, no effective date or duration of application has been announced.