Morocco has been hit with the global increases on fuel prices with both diesel and gasoline becoming more expensive.
Featured prices at gas stations show that gasoline prices are about MAD 11.7 to 11.8 per liter, while diesel prices are estimated at MAD 10.5 to 10.7 per liter.
ODPT Secretary General Mustapha Chaoune told Medias24 that transportation services are paralyzed across the country.
He told the news outlet that taxis, passenger buses, and a few freight carriers are on strike in more than 70 provinces across Morocco.
Chaoune called on the government to act and break its silence about the increase in fuel prices, which has a large impact on the cost of transportation.
He added that “the cost of transportation depends 30 to 35 percent on the price of fuel.”
On October 27, the Ministry of Equipment said it would organize a meeting in November between freight haulers and the supervisory ministry to examine diesel prices and its negative impact, according to Maghreb Arab Press (MAP).
Earlier this month, truck drivers went on strike over fuel prices. The strike, by drivers who transported fruit and vegetables to Casablanca, caused spikes in prices of fruit and vegetables.
Moroccan newspaper Assabah reported that the supply of fruits and vegetables had decreased by 33 percent.
The impact of rising oil prices globally has caused several rounds of tension in the past months.
In June, the High Commissioner for Planning (HCP) recognized that fuel prices increased by 9.1 percent since their deregulation in 2016.
HCP explained the increase in gasoline prices due to the international oil price rising.
HCP said that fuel prices continued to rise, reaching MAD 10 per liter at the end of May 2018, compared to MAD 7 at the beginning of 2017.
