Business · Economy · 22 hrs ago
Morocco to Gradually Resume Agricultural Export Licences to Africa
Morocco’s trade minister, Omar Hejira, said new fruit and vegetable export licences to African markets will resume gradually next week.
The government had paused issuing new licences, including for tomatoes, to help keep enough produce in Moroccan markets and prices within reach for consumers.
Hejira said bad weather and exporters buying produce from wholesale markets contributed to rising prices, particularly for tomatoes.
The pause applied to new licences, not exporters who had received licences before it began.
Specialist committees are studying which products could face shortages or price changes as exports restart.
Morocco will monitor exports while trying to protect local supply, and the government says the measure does not affect its commitments to African markets.
Morocco plans to gradually resume issuing licences for agricultural exports to African markets from next week.
The government suspended new export licences amid concerns about supplies and prices in the domestic market.
Foreign Trade Minister Omar Hejira said the suspension was temporary and did not affect Morocco’s commitments to Africa.
He said bad weather and exporters’ purchases from wholesale markets contributed to higher prices, especially for tomatoes.
Specialist committees are monitoring products whose availability or prices could be affected by the resumption.
- Who
- Morocco’s government and the independent export-control and coordination body Morocco Foodex.
- What
- Issuing licences for agricultural exports to African markets will gradually resume.
- When
- From next week, according to the minister.
- Where
- Morocco and African markets.
- Why
- The government aims to maintain adequate domestic supplies and manage prices while resuming exports.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Morocco suspended the issuing of new licences for agricultural exports to African markets.
Specialist committees began studying ways to control exports while ensuring adequate supplies for Moroccan consumers.
Morocco is expected to gradually resume issuing agricultural export licences to African countries.
- Minister
- Omar Hejira
- Export-control body
- Morocco Foodex
- Suspension
- New agricultural export licences to African markets
- Resumption
- Gradually from next week
- Products monitored
- Products whose quantities or prices may be affected by renewed exports
What people are saying
It was a temporary measure aimed at controlling supplies in domestic markets and regulating price levels, without affecting Morocco’s commitments to Africa.
This situation prompted the government, represented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Sovereignty, to suspend the granting of export licences to African markets.