Mrs. Driouch Conducts a Field Visit to Oversee the Supply of Fish to National Markets at the Beginning of Ramadan
On the first day of the holy month of Ramadan, Sunday, March 2, 2025, the wholesale fish market in El Hraouine received a record quantity of fish, exceeding 720 tons compared to 522 tons on the same day last year, marking a 40% increase in sales volume.
In this context, Zakia Driouch, Secretary of State in charge of Fisheries, confirmed that fish products, including sardines, are abundantly available in the market at reasonable prices. She highlighted that the wholesale fish market in El Hraouine, Casablanca, supplies more than 65% of the country’s markets and expressed her gratitude to the industry professionals for their significant efforts in ensuring the supply of national markets.
Speaking to the press during her visit to the wholesale fish market in El Hraouine, Casablanca, on Sunday morning, Zakia Driouch emphasized that the government is committed to ensuring the availability of food products during Ramadan, particularly fish, which sees a surge in demand during the fasting month. She reassured that all types of fish, including pelagic and white fish, are available.
The government official noted that sardines are available in the market despite being in the biological rest period during January, February, and March, adding that supply is meeting demand.
Regarding prices, Mrs. Driouch explained that the market operates on a free-market basis, governed by supply and demand. She stated that the ministry’s responsibility is to preserve fishery resources and ensure their availability in the markets, a goal successfully achieved through the “Halieutis” strategy, which has yielded positive results.
For his part, Mohamed Al-Wadaa, Regional Fisheries Delegate for Casablanca-Settat, explained that sardines dominated the market supply, reaching 364 tons—far exceeding the 87 tons recorded on the first day of Ramadan last year, representing a remarkable 318% increase. This abundance positively impacted prices at the wholesale market, leading to a noticeable decrease compared to previous seasons.
The official attributed this price decline to the ample supply, particularly of sardines, resulting from the positive effects of the biological rest period implemented by the Secretariat of State for Fisheries. This measure allowed fish stocks to replenish, ensuring an abundant supply. The main ports supplying the market include Agadir, Sidi Ifni, and Tarfaya.
To ensure a smooth supply chain, the market administration has implemented several organizational measures, including adopting flexible working hours to allow early operations and enhancing coordination with the National Fisheries Office at the ports for proactive supply management. Additionally, internal departments have been mobilized throughout the week, including on holidays, to guarantee a steady supply of seafood products to the markets.
Despite the price decline at the wholesale market, some industry sources indicated that retail fish prices do not fully reflect these reductions, raising concerns about potential market distortions that require intervention from relevant authorities.
Meanwhile, the Secretariat of State for Fisheries, in coordination with industry professionals, continues to make significant efforts to ensure the supply of Moroccan markets, particularly in Casablanca. The success of this operation depends on a participatory approach and effective governance aimed at meeting demand, increasing production, and preserving consumers’ purchasing power, especially during this blessed month.
These efforts come amid multiple challenges, including the decline of certain fisheries due to the biological rest period and the harsh weather conditions affecting national coasts at the beginning of Ramadan. These conditions coincided with the end of the biological rest period for small pelagic fish. Nevertheless, initial indicators reflect the success of the measures taken to ensure fish availability and stabilize prices at the wholesale market, increasing the likelihood of making fish accessible to consumers at reasonable prices throughout this holy month.
#adil EL ARABI