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Rabat – The Competition Council, a Moroccan market watchdog, said it has “no positions” to take with regard to the increases or drops in products’ prices.
President of the council Ahmed Rahhou made his remarks during a meeting, convening the body’s representatives and journalists on Tuesday.
“The role of the council does not allow it to intervene in the event of a rise or drop in prices unless this evolution of price is induced by an abuse of a dominant position or agreement,” he said.
Rahhou added that the law stipulates that prices of products, goods, and services cannot undergo modifications only by the interplay of supply and demand.
“It is up to the seller or the distributor of the product to judge the increase or decrease in prices,” Rahhou said.
The council’s president’s remarks come amid continued increases in the prices of food and fuel products across Morocco.
Moroccan citizens have been expressing concerns about the increases of fuel prices, which are standing at MAD 14 and MAD 13 per liter.
The situation has resulted in online campaigns, with many citizens using hashtags to call on the government to intervene.
Some of the campaigners are also calling on some cabinet members, including Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch, to step down.
In September 2022, the council issued a report stressing that a lack of political will to implement market reforms “may be at blame” for the skyrocketing gas prices.
Despite the report, neither the government nor the council took action to end the fuel crisis.
Prices of food products, including that of tomatoes, have been a source of concern for many citizens, particularly now that the holy month of Ramadan is only a few months away.
One kilogram of tomatoes worth over MAD 14 in Moroccan markets, alarming many a few months ahead of Ramadan. The ingredient is a key product for Moroccans during Ramadan as most citizens use it to prepare harira soup, one of the main meals for Ramadan’s breakfast.
On Monday, Houcine Aderdour, head of the Moroccan Federation of Fruit and Vegetable Producers and Exporters, reassured citizens that a decision will be taken on tomato prices and supply at the end of February.
Aderdour attributed tomato prices exceeding MAD 10 per kilogram across Morocco to “poor supply.”
“The yield of tomato cultivation” dropped following low temperatures in the Souss-Massa region, he said, emphasizing that this was reflected in the product’s prices.
