The holy month of Ramadan is just around the corner, and the Moroccan markets have geared up for it.
Rabat – The national market has prepared foods in sufficient quantities to meet the demands of citizens during Ramadan, said Lahcen Daoudi on Thursday, March 21.
During a meeting of the interministerial commission in charge of food and price monitoring, Daoudi, the minister delegate for general affairs and governance stressed that everything needed in Ramadan is “available in the domestic market, in higher levels than last year.”
Daoudi noted the drop in food prices in contrast with last year, “particularly those of chickpeas.” He assured consumers that the prices would not change during Ramadan, which will begin May 5 or 6.
During Ramadan, chickpeas are especially important as a base for Moroccan soups. Other popular food items during the holy month in Morocco include meat, fruits, fish, dairy products, and breads.
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Daoudi chaired a government meeting Thursday that also reviewed wheat production and the need to have a sufficient supply for consumer demand during Ramadan.
Last year, a major boycott campaign in April against the high prices of commodities continued through Ramadan, which began May 16.
At the time, the Moroccan government evaluated the supplies of fruits and vegetables, while also strictly monitoring their prices to prevent price manipulation in accordance with Law 31-08 on consumer protection.
According to the Moroccan High Commission for Planning (HCP), which keeps track of economic, demographic, and social statistics, food prices in the country dropped by 0.4 percent from December 2018 to January 2019.
Fruit prices fell by 3 percent, vegetables by 2.8 percent, meat by 1 percent, and dairy products by 0.2 percent.
