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Rabat – The seventh edition of the “Affordable Fish” initiative has been a huge success since its launch and has benefited citizens in many Moroccan cities, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.
2,150 tons of frozen fish have so far been sold at reasonable prices since the initiative started on February 22, said the ministry’s state secretariat for maritime fisheries.
The initiative aims to meet the increasing demand for seafood at affordable prices in the wake of public outrage over exaggerated fish prices.
Under the initiative, the original plan was to distribute over 4,000 tons of fish across Morocco. The number of cities with sales points has now exceeded 40, including Casablanca, Rabat, Sale, Fez, Agadir, Marrakech, and Dakhla, among others.
The ministry added that mobile fish caravans are also reaching more remote areas to ensure that people everywhere have access to seafood, especially during the holy month of Ramadan.
Sales points have experienced a high number of customers, with nearly 400 people visiting each location daily, according to the statement. The ministry attributed the strong demand to public trust in the quality and pricing of the frozen fish provided.
All fish go through strict safety checks by the National Office for Food Safety (ONSSA), it added.
Distribution is set to be expanded in the upcoming weeks through improved logistics and better coordination between fishing industry actors. This will help maintain a steady supply of seafood throughout Ramadan.
Morocco has seen a heated debate over fish prices following an initiative by a young man from Marrakech who began selling sardines at MAD 5 ($0.50) per kilo, challenging the usual market price of MAD 25 ($2.50).
He attributed high fish prices to middlemen, or “Chnaqa,” who have long stood accused of exaggeratingly inflating costs. Other fishermen confirmed that wholesale sardine prices range from MAD 2.5-3 ($0.25-0.30), questioning why consumers are charged much more.
