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Just days before the start of Ramadan, a month during which Moroccans tend to consume more, a fishmonger in Marrakech has taken the internet by storm. The young merchant challenged both consumers and fellow vendors by selling sardines—an Iftar staple in Morocco and one of the most affordable seafood options for families—at an astonishingly low price.
With sardine prices typically ranging between 15 and 25 dirhams per kilogram, the young vendor offered them for just five dirhams per kilo. His videos quickly went viral, leaving many stunned by the massive price gap.
He soon became an internet sensation, hailed as an advocate for the poor, and claimed to be «exposing» what he called «speculators and middlemen». Known as Moul Lhout, he has sparked widespread debate about sardine prices and seafood affordability in Morocco—a country with two extensive coastlines, on both the Atlantic and Mediterranean.
But is it truly possible to buy sardines for five dirhams per kilo, considering the long supply chain that involves fishermen, wholesalers, and retailers? In Morocco, sardines are sold through two different systems, depending on the location of the ports.
Wholesalers denounce middleman influence
In the southern provinces, where sardines are abundant, prices are fixed at 3.20 dirhams per kilo. This applies to ports stretching from Agadir to Dakhla. However, in the northern region—north of Agadir—sardine prices fluctuate based on supply and demand.
This was confirmed to Yabiladi on Thursday by Mohamed*, a fish wholesaler at the port of Safi, a city renowned for its high-quality sardines. He explained that in Safi and other northern ports, sardines are sold at auctions, where prices start at 3 dirhams per kilo.
The fish wholesaler, who disputes the claims made by the Marrakech vendor, explained that the sardine trade is far more complex than it seems. According to him, multiple factors drive up prices before the fish even reaches consumers.
Once fishing boats dock at the port, the catch is taken to a sorting center, an auction house locally known as Dlala.
«At the sorting center, sardines are auctioned, but unfortunately, they are often sold to boat owners themselves, through companies set up in the names of their relatives—sons, brothers, and other family members—for as little as 3.20 dirhams per kilo», Mohamed alleged.
According to him and two other wholesalers from the same port, this internal trading system is a major factor driving up sardine prices. «A second auction is then held on the dock, which is illegal», they claimed.
«Those who bought sardines for 3.20 dirhams per kilo then resell them to us, the wholesalers, at the dock for sometimes as high as 13 to 15 dirhams per kilo—meaning 280 to 300 dirhams per box, with each box containing around 24 kilograms of sardines», he said.
Prices straight from Safi's port
On Thursday, Mohamed and other wholesalers purchased sardines at 250 dirhams per box, meaning the price per kilogram stood at 10 dirhams.
Prices can rise even higher depending on scarcity and the biological rest period imposed during January and February. «Recently, we’ve paid 400 to 450 dirhams per box. Today, I bought three truckloads of sardines at 250 dirhams per box», Mohamed noted.
Wholesalers blame the price hikes on middlemen «created by boat owners» and also criticize the numerous taxes they have to pay.
«We are burdened with outdated and unnecessary taxes, like the prix filet—a 10% tax supposedly meant to support fishermen, as if we are contributing to the price of their fishing nets», another wholesaler complained.
«This tax dates back to before independence. Then there’s a 13.65% tax, and another 7% tax that we pay in markets—whether we manage to sell or not. If I go to another market, I have to pay the 7% tax again. Meanwhile, boat owners only pay a 16% tax», the wholesalers argued.
«We don’t know how he does it—it’s impossible», the wholesalers said, referring to Moul Lhout. The merchants suspect that he may be selling «frozen sardines or varieties meant for seafood processing factories». Or, it is all for the «likes and shares», they hinted.
Manufacturers question feasibility of 5-dirham sardines
However, even sardines sold to factories cost more than the price offered by the Marrakech vendor. A professional from a sardine canning and processing factory told Yabiladi that manufacturers currently buy sardines for 7 dirhams per kilo.
«This is due to the current situation, the marine biological rest period for sardines, and the increased demand during Ramadan», he explained.
«Since last year, with or without the biological rest period, sardine prices for manufacturers have remained at around 7 dirhams per kilo», he added. Factories buy in bulk, purchasing between 10 and 40 tonnes at a time, for a production line that needs up to 100 tonnes daily.
«If this man can sell sardines for 5 dirhams per kilo, we are ready to buy 100 tonnes from him daily», the factory representative said.
Manufacturers purchase two types of sardines: those intended for consumption, which are canned and sold, and another type known as guano—sardines that are either too small, damaged, or visually unappealing for consumers.
«These sardines are not for human consumption; they are bought by manufacturers who process them into fishmeal for animal feed», the source explained. «This type of sardine is sold for as little as 2 dirhams per kilo, sometimes even less».
Yabiladi attempted to contact Moul Lhout to understand where and how he sources his famous 5-dirham-per-kilo sardines while still making a profit, but to no avail. But for the last couple of days, his delivery workers answered, saying that he was too busy to respond.
