After its “skyrocketing” rise, professionals expect sardines prices to stabilize in the coming period

Agadir24

After the skyrocketing prices of sardines in recent weeks, exceeding the threshold of 20 dirhams and above, this product is no longer a “food for the common people” as it was before, which prompted many segments of society to abandon purchasing it, waiting for its prices to fall again.

Many professionals have previously confirmed that the rise in the price of sardines is mainly linked to the scarcity that has come to characterize the size of the product in the depths of the seas and to the increase in the level of climate change in recent years, including the rise in water temperature.

In the developments of the situation, professionals revealed that the current volume of unloading is still low compared to previous months and years, which could justify the continued high prices during the current period.

They pointed out that the catch of August this year remains low compared to previous years, stressing that the clear climate changes have made the months of July and August characterised by weak production, while this period of the year was more productive in the past.

They reported that the price of a single box of sardines has increased from 250 dirhams to 350 at present, a price that remains high and refers to the high cost resulting from a number of factors, including the scarcity of fish products, climate change, and the high cost of a single sea voyage due to the high price of diesel used.

In contrast, the same professionals spoke about the possibility of recording an expected improvement in the fishing level starting next September, to be strengthened during the months of October and November, which could contribute to reducing the price of seafood products, especially sardines, which are considered one of the most prominent acquisitions of Moroccans.

Professional actors explained that the beginning of September is expected to bring good news for Moroccans and fishermen as well, as it is expected that there will be an improvement in the quantities unloaded of various marine products caught on the Moroccan coasts, noting that the sea will experience a kind of calm at that time.

They concluded that the current recession will gradually disappear during the months of September and October, and the volume of unloaded fish and the volume of products that will be caught during the coming months of November and December will increase, which will have a positive impact on retail prices.

It is noteworthy that the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests, Mohamed Sadiki, had met last June with representatives of fishing professionals in order to study the situation related to the scarcity of sardines, where an agreement was reached at the time on a number of measures related to the organization of fishing in a way that could avoid the elimination of some fish species, in parallel with studying ways to adapt to the problem of scarcity in a number of national fisheries.