The reduction offers motorists some relief after six consecutive price increases since mid-July, which have significantly raised the cost of filling up.
Based on the latest prices recorded in Casablanca, diesel is expected to fall from around 16.10 to 16.18 dirhams per liter to between 15.90 and 15.98 dirhams, depending on the fuel station. Prices may vary slightly between stations and regions.
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Six consecutive increases since July
The expected reduction follows six successive diesel price hikes: 69 centimes per liter in mid-July, 1 dirham in early August, 65 centimes in mid-August, 6 centimes on September 1, 34 centimes on September 16 and 80 centimes in early October.
The increases amounted to approximately 3.54 dirhams per liter. Even after Thursday night’s reduction, the net increase since mid-July will stand at around 3.34 dirhams per liter, meaning the latest cut will offset only a small share of the recent surge.
Another notable development in Morocco’s fuel market is that diesel has become more expensive than gasoline. This reversal in prices appears to be taking hold, although it is too early to determine how long it will last. After the announced reduction, diesel is still expected to cost around 27 to 39 centimes more per liter than gasoline in Casablanca, based on previously recorded prices.
The price adjustment comes amid developments in the international diesel market, including changes to US policy on Russian fuel exports. On October 9, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a general license allowing certain transactions involving the sale, delivery and import of Russian-origin diesel, subject to specific conditions.
The decision followed discussions between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on resuming Russian supplies, with the stated aim of easing fuel prices.
Moscow partially relaxed its restrictions on diesel exports starting October 10. According to Reuters, the Kremlin said on Thursday that Russian diesel was once again reaching international markets, while acknowledging that the resumption of exports alone would not be enough to fully stabilize oil markets.
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A tanker carrying around 40,000 tonnes of ultra-low-sulfur Russian diesel is also heading to Morocco. According to maritime tracking data from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), cited by Reuters, the cargo was loaded on October 13 at Russia’s Primorsk port on the Baltic Sea. The identity of the importer, the Moroccan destination port and the cargo’s intended use remain unknown.
However, changes in international fuel prices do not immediately translate into changes at Moroccan pumps. Retail prices also reflect the terms under which imported fuel shipments are purchased, with those deals generally negotiated and concluded at least two weeks in advance. Thursday’s reduction therefore does not necessarily reflect all the latest movements in the international diesel market.
