The world is currently experiencing changes on all levels, especially energy. The economic recovery observed two years following the pandemic marked the beginning of a major economic crisis. Then there was the outbreak of war in Ukraine, which did not make things any easier. This caused gas and oil prices to rise.
Fuel prices have therefore logically also increased globally, which has impacted the purchasing power of populations. This Tuesday, April 5, the price of oil shows 108 dollars per barrel. And yet, this drop has not been passed on to fuel prices here in Morocco.
In Morocco, service stations display nearly 15.30 DH/L for diesel and unleaded. Impressive prices that are not likely to drop any time soon according to observers and experts, for several reasons.
The government spokesman, Mustapha Baitas, explained it well during the press briefing of the Government Council last Thursday. Once once more, the Minister referred to prices on the international market, saying that the price of diesel reached Wednesday, March 30, 1,200 dollars per ton in Rotterdam, the same price as gasoline, while the price of butane gas reached 1,020 dollars. An increase which is also justified by the high prices of storage and transport before the delivery of its products on the national territory, he specified.
Thus, fuel prices in Morocco might only drop following a month and a half to two months, says Mustapha Berrak, an expert economist in the energy field who explained this price increase despite successive declines in the international market, “ by the time it takes to refine the crude oil, transport it to Morocco and store it ».
On the other hand, several citizens are wondering why service stations do not undertake to change fuel prices twice a month (the first day and the 16th day of each month), as was the case with the past.
Asked regarding this, the expert explained that this process was in place before the release of fuel prices. Therefollowing, it remained in effect as a sort of ” usually, while no article of law obliges companies and service stations to change prices twice a month ».
And what makes “fuel prices can change four times a day, and nothing in the law prevents this “says toHespressthis expert in energy saving, before specifying that “service stations can modify the sale prices even without referring to the fuel distribution companies ».
This is the liberalization of fuel prices without strict accompanying measures, which experts and road transport professionals have long deplored. The impact of this rise in fuel prices translates directly into the pockets of citizens. The vulnerable class is at rock bottom, the middle class is struggling to keep up, as the government says it continues to bring“exceptional price support for products affected by fluctuations in the international market“. A support of which the citizens do not manage to feel the impact.
