The head of government chaired, Monday, March 14, a meeting on the availability and supply of food products as the month of Ramadan approaches.
The holding of this meeting is part of the high royal instructions aimed at protecting the purchasing power of the citizen and ensuring the supply of the markets with essential food products.
The holy month of Ramadan usually sees a greater demand for food products. On this occasion, the government is planning a major mobilization which will be marked by very close monitoring of the supply situation of the food product markets as well as increased controls at the level of marketing and quality control and to track and sanction any unlawful or opportunistic behavior.
Thus, the Ministry of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, with the assistance of the departments concerned, ensures that the markets are well supplied with high-consumption food products, in particular flour, tomatoes, dates, pulses, almonds, oranges, oil, milk, butter, honey, meat, eggs, etc.
Daily monitoring of the market for a month shows that the market will generally be supplied in a satisfactory manner. However, vigilance remains maintained for certain products, which will be subject to checks, in terms of price, by the competent authorities, in particular due to the persistence of the rainfall deficit until the end of February, but also due to the disruption of the international market.
Food pulses: stock levels that cover needs
With regard to legumes, the current stock is sufficient to cover the needs for the month of Ramadan for the most consumed categories (chickpeas, lentils and broad beans). For chickpeas, broad beans and field beans, the stock at the national level is comfortable, ensuring the consumption needs of about 7 months of consumption. For lentils, the stock situation at the national level is normal, ensuring the consumption needs of about 4 months of consumption.
Normal supply of fresh vegetables
About the tomato, The coverage of the needs for the month of Ramadan in tomatoes will be made from early tomatoes in greenhouses, mainly from under massa (90%). Production estimates show that this supply will be sufficient.
For the onion, domestic market supply is currently ensured partly by dry onion stocks from the previous campaign and green onions until June. The prices observed on the wholesale market during the month of March are stable with prices comparable to the same period last year.
The demand in potato will be largely satisfied during this period.
The crop rotation program set up under irrigated conditions will ensure the availability of market gardening products in all regions of the Kingdom.
Fruits and dates: the market will be well supplied
The supply of the national market in dates during the coming months, in particular the month of Ramadan, will be ensured both by stocks from national production (which reached 160,000 tonnes, up 12% compared to the previous campaign) and by imports made or to be made before Ramadan. As for prices, they remain at their usual levels and vary according to the quality and origin of the product.
About the orange, given the level of supply, the market will be largely supplied during the holy month of Ramadan. Indeed, citrus production, in general, increased by 15% compared to last year. It should be noted that in terms of prices, there is a drop of 39% compared to last year at the same period, ie 2.5 Dh/Kg at the wholesale market.
The market for bananas is supplied by local production and imports. Prices at the wholesale stage are lower than in 2021 at the same period.
As to applesproduction has experienced a net development in recent years, thanks to the provisions of the program contracts concluded with the profession, with production intended essentially for the local market and prices posting a drop of 18% compared to last year.
Situation of animal products
Concerning milk, thanks to a series of measures in favor of the sector, in particular the suspension of import duties for UHT milk, until the end of April, and despite a decline in the collection of this commodity, the supply of milk and dairy products will make it possible to cover the demand estimated on average at nearly 105 million liters during the same period. As far as milk prices are concerned, their situation is stable.
For butter, the supply of the market will be well assured and will make it possible to cover national needs during this period which corresponds to the peak of production of this commodity.
Red meats: Sufficient supply and normal prices
The quantity of red meats (cattle, sheep and goats) available for the months of April 2022 is sufficient to cover the national consumption requirement for these products. They show normal prices.
With regard to white meats, the forecast situation for production and consumption is normal and the foreseeable supply for the month of April will be sufficient, as will the forecast egg supply.
Fish and seafood:
As for seafood and different types of fish, the offer is available in sufficient quantities. For the production of sardines which coincides with the natural period of declining production as well as unsettled weather conditions, their availability is expected to improve significantly in early April.
Cereal situation
The market is currently based on a comfortable stock of soft wheat allowing the coverage of more than 4.7 months of industrial crushing, thanks in particular to the rate of imports observed following the suspension of customs duties on common wheat and the flat-rate premium system.
For the ricethe production and the importation made it possible to have a stock which will allow the coverage of more than 8 months of the national consumption needs.
Situation of processed products
About the table vegetable oils, the level of supply of the national market remains normal in table vegetable oils. Vigilance is still required given that the national market for edible oils, supplied almost entirely by imports of crude oil, is directly impacted by the rise in international prices.
Data on the production of sugar show sufficient supply to cover consumption needs during the month of Ramadan. Indeed, available stocks cover several months of consumption and prices are stable and subsidized.
Reinforcement of control and follow-up
All the departments concerned, in particular the Ministry of the Interior; Economy and Finance; Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Waters and Forests; of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development thus remain mobilized to strengthen coordination and monitoring mechanisms at central and territorial levels, with a view to ensuring the passage of this blessed month in the best conditions.
With regard to product quality, ONSSA services will strengthen the control of consumer food products within the framework of joint commissions to ensure product compliance with the regulations in force and seize products that are unsuitable for consumption, suspicious, unlabeled or of unknown origin.
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