Vegetable prices have climbed sharply, raising concerns among consumers. Tomatoes are selling for around MAD 10 per kilogram, potatoes and onions for MAD 4.5 to 6, carrots for MAD 4 to 5, zucchini for MAD 10 to 11, green beans for MAD 14 to 15, and peas for MAD 15 to 16. The increases come on top of rising prices for other food products, including red and white meat and fish.
“Among the reasons behind this wave of price increases is the significant damage to crops caused by the heatwave that hit the country in September, particularly in the Souss region,” said Abdelkabir Maïden, a trader at Casablanca’s wholesale fruit and vegetable market.
He added that this year’s seasonal transition coincides with a difficult turning point between the end of the vegetable-growing season in areas around Casablanca, including Gharb, Doukkala, Abda and Skhirat, and the start of harvesting in the Agadir region. Supplies from Agadir have been delayed, disrupting the domestic market after crops suffered heat stress.
Onions. le360
“Export demand has also contributed to the price increases. Production areas such as Agadir are facing strong demand and external pressure to supply African, European and Asian markets,” Maïden said.
Rising production costs are another factor. The trader said the agricultural and production system faces major structural challenges, including higher fuel prices, labor shortages and rising costs for fertilizers and raw materials, both in Morocco and internationally.
He also noted that despite products being available on the market, commercial activity in Casablanca has slowed considerably. Markets are struggling to sell produce at the expected pace because consumers’ purchasing power remains weak.
“Onions are readily available, but their prices depend largely on the rates set by farmers,” said Aziz Jameh, an onion wholesaler at the same market.
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He said yellow onions cost between MAD 94 and MAD 96 per crate at the production site. After transportation, they are sold at the wholesale market for MAD 110 per crate. Red onions cost MAD 5 per kilogram at the farm and reach MAD 6 at the wholesale market after transport and other costs are added.
Jameh attributed the high price of onions to the bad weather, rainfall and heat recorded in Morocco last September. These conditions prevented sufficient supplies from being built up to cover demand through March. He added that the Fès-Meknès region is the country’s main source of onions, supplying the entire Kingdom for six months of the year, from October to April.
