Lang
Consumer protection associations in Morocco have called for an urgent investigation into olive oil export figures to the European Union, which reached 841 tonnes during the 2024/2025 season, according to official data released by the European Commission.
Consumer rights groups expressed astonishment at the scale of these exports, describing the figures as "unbelievable", particularly given the unprecedented rise in domestic olive oil prices and the local market's inability to achieve self-sufficiency in this staple commodity.
In this regard, Ali Chetouane, head of the Moroccan Association for the Defence of Consumer Rights, called for an investigation into why some industry operators resorted to exporting despite the difficult conditions the country is facing, including drought, declining production and soaring prices. He argued that these figures "do not align with the reality of the domestic market, which is under price pressure", adding that "if there are binding export contracts signed before the start of the season, that would be understandable, but anything beyond that warrants a serious investigation".
Chetouane stressed the need for export contracts, where they exist, to guarantee that the domestic market is supplied first before exporting abroad.
For his part, Bouazza El Kharraz, head of the Moroccan Federation for Consumer Rights, noted that the volume of exports could be justified by the existence of binding contracts, stressing that breaching them would expose operators to financial penalties. He explained that consumer protection associations "are not opposed to olive oil exports, provided it is of the premium quality that the average Moroccan consumer does not typically buy".
El Kharraz explained that the price crisis stems from "imbalances in the domestic market and weak monitoring mechanisms", noting that recent rainfall bodes well for the end of the drought, which could help boost production and improve the market situation going forward.
In the same context, Mustapha Baitas, the government spokesperson, said at a press briefing that "the exports concern a specific type of olive oil with particular characteristics, which is usually subject to contractual agreements with foreign partners". He added that olive oil is among the priorities of national agricultural policy, noting that average national production over the past three years stood at around 100,000 tonnes, despite the decline recorded due to climatic factors.