Prices of several vegetables in Morocco, including onions and tomatoes, have declined significantly in wholesale markets after reaching record highs in recent weeks, according to market officials and Hespress AR industry sources.
Data from traders at the wholesale fruit and vegetable market in Casablanca show a clear drop in prices compared with previous weeks.
Some market participants attributed the decline to a halt in vegetable exports to African markets, which had previously been strong.
Jaafar Sabban, director of the Casablanca wholesale market, said prices have fallen sharply. Carrots are currently selling at about 2.5 dirhams per kilogram, while onions have dropped to around 2 dirhams per kilogram.
Tomato prices have also decreased, falling from 12 dirhams per kilogram to about 8 dirhams on Thursday, he said.
Sabban linked the trend to several factors, including reduced exports and increased supply from agricultural regions such as Oualidia and Doukkala, adding that tomato prices are expected to decline further as more produce enters the market.
However, industry representatives dispute the role of export restrictions. Mohamed Zermani, head of the Moroccan association of exporters to Africa and abroad, said the suspension of vegetable exports had not contributed to the price drop.
He noted that while exporters had paused shipments to African markets, prices had not fallen as a direct result, challenging claims that exports were the main driver of earlier price increases.
Zermani called on the agriculture ministry to open dialogue with industry stakeholders to address broader challenges facing the sector.
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