HRH Crown Prince Moulay Rachid concerned by devastating effects of rising food prices

Meknes, April 23, 2008 -- As Morocco opens its third International Agricultural Fair, the prices of range of agricultural commodities are on increase and countless of Moroccan families living on less than one dollar per day are burden between poverty and starvation.

In recent months, riots over soaring food prices have erupted in several Moroccan cities but police around the country were called out to put down any unrest.

“Police beat Mounir El-Ktaoui of the Arabic-language weekly Al Watan Al An, BBC stringer Mustapha Bekkali and Mohamed El-Hamraoui of the French-language weekly La Gazette du Maroc in the course of dispersing demonstrators protesting against food price increases outside the parliament building in Rabat on April 12th”, reported French-based organization Reporters Without Borders.

To alleviate the economic hardships citizens are going through, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Moulay Rachid expressed needs for the government to take urgent action in order to avert a larger crisis, and improve and ensure access to food for all.

His Royal Highness also toured Agricultural exhibition on Wednesday where He was briefed on the products and agricultural equipment on display.

Morocco’s third International Agricultural Fair is being held from April 23rd to 28th in the city of Meknes, Morocco.