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With Eid al-Adha just around the corner, demand is growing for products that accompany Moroccan families during the celebrations. In addition to the sacrifice itself, local markets are seeing a surge in demand for spices, knives, and handy utensils used in the slaughtering, cutting, and cooking of the Eid sheep. Among these products is charcoal, or «lfakher», used for barbecues and on Eid day to grill parts of the sheep, including the head and feet.
Prices of the product, however, have seen a sharp rise as Moroccan families prepare for Eid, according to the Moroccan Consumer Protection Observatory. In some markets, the price per kilogram has risen «from around 7 dirhams during normal periods to between 15 and 20 dirhams at several points of sale», Hassan Ait Ali, president of the observatory, told Yabiladi.
While slight price variations depend on cities, regions, as well as the type and quality of charcoal, Ait Ali noted that «lemon charcoal», considered high quality, stands at «13 dirhams per kilogram in some wholesale markets».
Other types include mixed charcoal, also called «Mkhallat» and «Laachba», which are sold «for around 9 dirhams» per kilogram. With these prices already rising, the observatory expects they will «climb even higher in the days immediately preceding Eid due to peak demand».
Intermediaries and high profit margins
In addition to the once-a-year seasonal demand linked to Eid al-Adha, other factors are also contributing to rising prices. Ait Ali pointed to «the large number of intermediaries and excessively high profit margins». He also cited «disruptions in distribution, shortages of certain types of wood used in charcoal production, delays in granting some permits related to wood exploitation affecting production volumes, and weak market oversight».
On the latter point, the observatory stressed that «in the absence of displayed prices at many points of sale», «seasonal speculation and the exploitation of increased demand to generate unjustified profits» become more widespread.
For this reason, Ait Ali stressed that the relevant authorities should «intensify price and product quality inspections, combat hoarding, speculation, and illegal intermediaries, and enforce the clear display of prices for consumers».
In addition to monitoring profit margins during religious holidays such as Eid al-Adha, the observatory stressed that sufficient and regular market supply should be ensured «to protect the purchasing power of Moroccan consumers».
As charcoal is not the only sought-after product during Eid al-Adha, the observatory also warned that rising prices are affecting other Eid-related products, including spices and seasonings, knives and barbecue tools, cleaning products, and cooking supplies.
