Morocco stores 50 million masks for post-confinement

Morocco has amassed a reserve of 50 million masks to make sure there are enough to meet the domestic market’s demand after easing the coronavirus lockdown, Industry and Trade Minister Moulay Hafid Elalamy said.

Speaking to MPs Monday, Elalamy shed light on the progress of Moroccan industry in making anti-coronavirus clothing and equipment as well as the opportunities offered to the Moroccan economy despite the challenges that brought to halt most economic sectors.

He voiced satisfaction with the level of supply in the domestic market in terms of foodstuff including during Ramadan, known for its consumption peak.

“We paid particular attention to food-stuff supply. In many countries, people rushed to supermarkets empty of food. Thanks god, we didn’t encounter such a problem in Morocco,” he said.

The Ministry and its regional dependencies are uncompromising on ensuring fair prices and quality, he said.

Morocco with a too short notice from the pandemic managed to meet its needs of masks and sanitizers, he said.

“Morocco had a sole ethanol factory that was unfortunately ravaged by a fire. But within a week, a record lapse and we can be proud of this, we worked together with the interior ministry and the industry ministry staff to restore this plant. Now, it produces 240 hectoliters of ethanol, equivalent to 24,000 liters which made us self-sufficient,” he said.

He said 23 plants are making 10 million masks daily. “Today, Moroccans can easily find face masks in pharmacies,” he added.

“We have decided yesterday to start exporting these masks, because many countries including France are looking for imports of masks that meet our production criteria,” he said.

However, Morocco could suspend mask exports if there is any shortage in the domestic market.