The continued ban on potato exports arouses the ire of Moroccan professionals, amid threats to halt production

Agadir 24 | Agadir24

Controversy continues over the decision to ban the export of potatoes abroad, especially to Africa, as a group of professionals is preparing to take escalating steps to demand a halt to this decision.

According to what was reported by professional sources, the Moroccan Association of Exporters of Various Commodities to Africa and Abroad is preparing to send a written communication to the Prime Minister, demanding the lifting of the ban imposed on the export of potatoes abroad, immediately following the end of the activities of the Meknes International Agricultural Fair.

In addition to this demand, this correspondence carries “direct threats” to stop potato production next season in the event of failure to lift the ban, which includes export.

The same professionals justified this risk with “the losses they suffered this season, which will be difficult to bear next year,” stressing that “most of the logical reasons for the ban that the Moroccan authorities used previously have become unreasonable in the current circumstance.”

They added that their demands to lift the export ban “are not that severe, as the authorities can do this periodically and temporarily, and whenever they monitor high prices locally,” stressing that “making this ban permanent will make next year’s production impossible.”

In response to this issue, Mohamed Al-Zamrani, President of the Moroccan Association of Exporters of Various Goods to Africa and Abroad, revealed that “production is not possible next year as long as the ban continues.”

Al-Zamrani stressed that “the losses are large and huge, and all the reasons have become illogical for the continuation of this ban, which has burdened exporters and made their presence on the African continent rare.”

The same spokesman added that the correspondence will be directed to the Prime Minister immediately following the end of the activities of the International Agricultural Exhibition in Meknes, highlighting that this step “came following observing the absence of interaction from the guardian ministry.”

The same spokesman stated that “the correspondence will find its first way to the Independent Export Control and Coordination Institution, which will be responsible for conveying the demands directly to the Prime Minister,” stressing that “failing to lift the ban will force farmers strictly not to produce potatoes next season.”