Marrakech – In the courtyard of his house in a popular neighborhood in the city of Marrakesh, Abdul Salam sat contemplating his breakfast table with a clear sorrow, and the only bottle of olive oil at home is about to exist.
Abdel Salam, a 50 -year -old Moroccan employee who supports a family of 5 individuals, evoked nostalgia for days when the acquisition of olive oil – the rich in nutrients – was easy, when he was storing the quantities of sufficient for months without trouble.
Remember how the smell of authentic oil was at home, and it was an integral part of its daily meals, when the price of a liter did not exceed 25 dirhams (about 2.7 dollars), then rose to 40 dirhams, and now it exceeds 100 dirhams per liter (the dollar equals 9.3 dirhams).
Abdel Salam told Al -Jazeera Net, in a faint voice: “We used to dip the bread in the oud oil (olive oil) generously, and add it to the traditional dishes without hesitation, but today, we consume it with caution, and it may pass days. We do not find one drop of it at home.”
An ideal environment and internationally recognized quality
Morocco has the climate of the Mediterranean, which is ideal for olive cultivation, as it features a moderate winter, warm and dry summer. Its agricultural regions vary between the coastal plains and the Atlas mountains, which affects the flavor of Moroccan olive oil and gives it unique properties.
90% of olive crops are directed to oil production, which has wide international recognition. Countries like the United States, Canada and European Union countries estimate the quality and flavor of this Moroccan product.
The economist Saeed Ohaadi told Al -Jazeera Net that the paradox is that Morocco exports olive oil to Spain, despite the fact that the latter is the first producer in the world by more than 27% of global production, compared to only 0.9% for Morocco, according to the data of the International olive Council.
Ohaadi believes that this is due to the quality of Moroccan oil and its competitive price, which causes the Spaniards to mix their local biothe to improve quality and reduce cost. On the other hand, the Moroccan citizen bears the burden of this export in the form of high prices within the local market.
Growth in spaces and decline in production
The area planted with olives in Morocco is currently 1.24 million hectares, which represents an increase of 60% compared to the 2009-2010 season. This area meets about a quarter of the country’s needs of food oils, and also provides annual exports of 1.84 billion dirhams (equivalent to 184 million dollars).
Despite this expansion, Ohaadi revealed that production has known a noticeable decline in recent years. Official data indicate that the production of the 2024-2025 season will not exceed 945 thousand tons, a decrease of 13% from the previous season (1.07 million tons), and 52% from the 2021-2022 season.
The agricultural expert Riad and the two of this decline attributed climate factors, most notably the low rates of rainfall and unprecedented high temperatures during the flowering period.
He added that some farmers are directed towards cultivating foreign varieties with high production and speed in the genie (two years instead of 4 for local varieties) that threatens the quality of Moroccan oil, which has always formed a pillar I heard internally and externally.
He stressed the importance of strengthening scientific research to produce local varieties at higher production rates, while preserving the original quality, as well as investing in smart agriculture that depends on modern technology and improves water use and reduces the impact of climate change.
In a remarkable move, Morocco signed in April 2025 a tripartite agreement with the International olive Council and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), to enhance the preservation of the genetic resources of olive trees and the sustainability of their use.
Export despite the internal crisis
As droughts and the high global demand for olive oil continued, the Moroccan citizen faced additional pressure. Abdel Salam, like many Moroccans, found himself unable to maintain the consumption of this basic substance within his daily nutritional customs.
Economist Ali Al -Ganbouri told Al -Jazeera Net that Morocco, despite its decline in its production, continued to export large quantities to the European market, which in turn suffers from similar production crises, which led to an increase in demand for Moroccan oil.
Al -Ganbouri explained that Morocco, in October and November 2024, issued about 841 tons of olive oil to the European Union, taking advantage of the high global prices, with the aim of achieving returns from the hard currency.
But he pointed out that this commercial trend contributed to the aggravation of the local market situation, as the price of a liter jumped to more than 110 dirhams, transforming the oil into a semi -luxurious product.
Al -Ganbouri pointed out that Morocco’s decision to impose a temporary ban on the export of olive oil in October 2023, and then lifted it later, reveals the fragility of internal policies in reconciling the local market meeting with the requirements of the global market.
A limited government intervention
In response to these developments, the Moroccan government has taken a set of measures, in an attempt to curb the continuous rise in prices and reduce the burden on the citizen.
In this regard, the delegated minister in charge of the budget, Fawzi Lakjaa, announced, during a session of the House of Representatives, that the government decided to subject the export of fresh olives, therapist and olive oil to the license until December 31, 2024. The customs duties were also suspended on importing virgin and excellent olive oil in the range of 10 thousand tons until the end of the year.
According to the Finance Law of 2025, imports of virgin olive oil were exempted from customs duties and value -added tax in the range of 20 thousand tons during the period from January 1 to December 31, 2025.
Said Ohaadi said that these measures aim to restore the balance between supply and demand in the local market, but they are still not sufficient to return prices to acceptable levels. He stressed that Morocco’s dependence on import in light of its long history as a product of olive oil contradicts the goals of the green plan aimed at achieving self -sufficiency in basic products.
For his part, Riad and Hitta stressed that the Moroccan citizen is still preferring the municipal (local) oil, because of his high quality and authentic taste, which puts more pressure on the internal demand and increases the complexity of the equation.
Olive oil .. from a popular symbol to an elitist commodity
The expert Ali Al -Ganbouri believes that all the current indicators indicate that olive oil is on its way to turn into a luxury commodity that is not available to all Moroccans, after he came out of the reach of Abdel Salam and other citizens with intermediate or limited incomes.
Al -Ganbouri confirms that this situation requires a comprehensive review of the approved policies, including imposing a mandatory rate of production to cover the needs of the local market, or even allocate direct support to the affected families, to prevent the citizens’ cost of economic options directed abroad.
As for Riad and Hitta, he looks at the next season with cautious hope, explaining that the olive trees are going through a period of natural hibernation that may contribute to their recovery with the improvement of climatic conditions. He pointed out that the recent rainfalls strengthened flowers and the contract of fruits, which preaches a more abundant and quality agricultural season.
At the end of the scene, Abdel Salam does not hide his hope that olive oil will return to his daily table, not only as a diet, but as an authentic part of his nutritional culture, and a small detail in his daily life that he desires to recover as it was.
