Prickly pear, new luxury fruit in Morocco

In Morocco, the prickly pear has become a luxury product. Its price is constantly rising and it is not known when it will stop.

The price of prickly pear is soaring. It has gone from 2 or 3 dirhams to 8 dirhams. “Sellers are powerless in the face of this price increase, often caused by external factors such as cochineal, a devastating insect that has seriously affected cactus plantations in Morocco,” explains Hespress Ahmed, a salesman. This father of a family tries to ease the pain of consumers by maintaining an affordable selling price, 4 dirhams and 5 dirhams per unit for his loyal customers. According to him, the use of prickly pear in the cosmetic industry has contributed to this price increase, this fruit, rich in nutrients, having become popular for its beneficial properties for the skin and hair. This fruit is used in the manufacture of oil, cream, lotion and mask used to moisturize the body, face and hair. Ahmed fears that prickly pears will soon become unobtainable.