The antagonism between the two neighbors has found new expression: the date, the emblematic fruit of the Ramadan period.
For several months, several Moroccan Internet users have been leading a campaign on Twitter to boycott Algerian dates. Last year at the same time, an identical campaign was launched in a similarly tense context between the two countries. But this time, it is also a question of the potential carcinogenicity, even radioactivity of Algerian dates.
It all started with a first tweet dating from January 8th. An anonymous account – @Amal1999777 – evokes the French nuclear tests carried out in Algeria during the 1970s. “These experiments polluted the sand and the oases. Unfortunately, to date, Algeria sells dates from this region and exports them to most Arab countries”, advanced, without any proof or clue, the tweet, illustrated with photomontages whose metadata has been deleted.
Solidarity with evicted farmers
But the tweet that really launched the boycott campaign was posted on January 14. He was the instigator of several tweets using the hashtag #boycott _ dattes_ algériennes in French and Arabic.
Behind this wave, the account of Ali Terrass (@1Terrass), followed by nearly 23,000 subscribers, including the official account of the Permanent Delegation of Morocco to Unesco. The account, particularly active since 2015, communicates on geopolitical news from Morocco, in particular those concerning the Sahara.
MOROCCO PRODUCES LOCALLY NEARLY 160,000 TONS OF DATES PER YEAR
“Algerian date exports reached Morocco via France. The first batch has arrived and distributed in some cities. This is why I renew my solidarity with the farmers of El Arja, in the oasis of Figuig, and I declare my boycott of Algerian dates permanently”, can we read in the tweet at the origin of the phenomenon.
In March 2021, Algeria had expelled around thirty Moroccan farming families from the oasis of El Arja, located on Algerian territory. In this region, the cultivation of palm trees is often the only means of subsistence for families.
The Algerian government had justified its decision by the desire to put an end to persistent illegal trafficking despite the closure of land borders. Several thousand demonstrators then marched in Figuig to protest against these expulsion measures.
70,000 tonnes imported
In several other tweets and videos that also circulate on social networks, Internet users even claim that Algerian dates are of poor quality. Some go so far as to claim that they are adulterated and artificially colored to deceive consumers.
To counter these accusations, the Algerian Organization for the Protection and Orientation of Consumers and their Environment (APOCE) assured in a press release that the quality of Algerian dates is guaranteed by the World Trade Organization (WTO). . Thus, the name of the variety “Deglet Nour” would be protected for less than a year at the international level.
Morocco produces locally nearly 160,000 tons of dates per year. But as the month of Ramadan approaches, faced with the increase in demand, the country imports an additional 70,000 tonnes. It can thus ensure both supply and price stability.
As the kingdom is not self-sufficient, reducing the consumption of Algerian dates or prohibiting their import could lead to a supply problem on the national market.
