Morocco’s bill for importing liquefied butane gas from the European Union increased by nearly MAD 200 million during the first eight months of 2026, despite a decline of more than 47,000 metric tons in shipment volumes, according to Eurostat data. The figures point to a sharp rise in the declared unit value of imports of a fuel widely used by households and subsidized through Morocco’s Compensation Fund.
Morocco imported European butane gas worth €182.4 million, equivalent to MAD 2.04 billion, between January and August 2026, compared with €164.49 million, or MAD 1.84 billion, during the same period in 2025. The increase of 10.89% amounted to an additional €17.91 million, even as import volumes fell by 11.44%.
Data from the European Union’s statistical office, reviewed by Hespress, show that the EU’s 27 member states exported 366,037 metric tons of butane gas to Morocco during the eight-month period, down from 413,321 tons a year earlier, a decline of 47,284 tons.
Meanwhile, the average declared value per ton rose by 25.21%, from about €398 to €498, equivalent to approximately MAD 5,559 per ton. As a result, Morocco paid more for a smaller volume of European supplies.
The divergence between the value and volume of imports reflects rising acquisition costs. The average declared value increased by more than €100 per ton year over year. However, this figure does not necessarily represent an international benchmark price for butane gas. It is calculated from reported trade values and quantities and may be affected by contract prices, shipment composition and commercial terms.
August shipments fall sharply
Morocco’s imports of European butane gas recorded a sharp reversal in August, with volumes falling 67.20% year over year to 28,194 tons, compared with 85,957 tons in August 2025. The difference of 57,763 tons exceeded the cumulative decline recorded over the entire January-August period.
The value of European shipments to Morocco also fell, dropping to €12.26 million, equivalent to MAD 136.85 million, from €32.32 million, or MAD 360.76 million, a year earlier. The 62.07% decline represented a reduction of approximately €20.06 million, or MAD 224 million.
Despite the drop in shipment volumes, the average declared value per ton remained higher than a year earlier. Eurostat data put the August average at about €435 per ton, compared with €376 in August 2025, an increase of 15.64%. This helps explain why the value of imports declined less sharply than their volume.
The August figures followed seven months of growth in Morocco’s European butane gas imports. Between January and July, shipments reached 337,843 tons, up 3.20% from the same period in 2025, while their value increased by 28.73% to €170.14 million, equivalent to approximately MAD 1.90 billion.
The average declared value during those seven months stood at about €504 per ton, compared with €404 a year earlier, an increase of 24.74%. The figures indicate that higher unit values had already pushed up the import bill before the sharp contraction in shipments in August.
The comparison also highlights the effect of the unusually high base recorded in August 2025, when shipments reached nearly 86,000 tons, against a monthly average of 46,766 tons from January through July that year. August 2026 imports were approximately 42% below the average monthly volume recorded during the first seven months of this year, at 48,263 tons.
Consequently, the August decline reversed the year-over-year growth in import volumes recorded through July, while the cumulative import bill remained higher because of the increase in declared unit values.
Import costs and pressure on subsidies
The increase in the cost of European butane gas is significant given Morocco’s reliance on foreign markets to meet most of its demand for the fuel. The shutdown of the Samir refinery in Mohammedia since 2015 has also shaped the country’s dependence on external supplies.
Bottled butane gas remains a key subsidized energy source, particularly for household cooking and water heating. The rise in import costs therefore has implications for the public finances used to support domestic consumption.
The approximately 25% increase in the average declared value per ton was the main factor behind the higher import bill during the first eight months of 2026, despite the reduction in shipment volumes. Lower quantities were insufficient to offset the increase in the unit value of imports.
Under Morocco’s subsidy system, the Compensation Fund covers the difference between the reference cost of butane gas and the regulated domestic selling price. Higher international acquisition costs can therefore increase the funding required to maintain subsidies, alongside changes in consumption, exchange rates, transportation and distribution costs.
In May 2024, the government raised the price of a 12-kilogram butane gas cylinder by MAD 10, from MAD 40 to MAD 50, as part of a gradual review of subsidies. The domestic selling price nevertheless remains regulated, meaning that consumers do not directly bear the full cost of supplying the market.
Previous data from the Ministry of Economy and Finance put Morocco’s butane gas consumption at approximately 2.7 million tons in 2022, illustrating the scale of domestic demand and the importance of securing supplies from international markets. In addition to household use, the fuel serves various economic and agricultural activities.
The Eurostat figures cover only Morocco’s purchases from the European Union, as the country also imports butane gas from suppliers outside the bloc. The 11.44% decline in European shipment volumes therefore does not establish that Morocco’s total butane gas imports fell by the same proportion, nor does it demonstrate a shift toward alternative suppliers without comprehensive data covering all sources.
Eurostat’s Comext database provides monthly data on international goods trade, including values and quantities classified by product and trading partner. Because the average unit value is calculated by dividing trade value by volume, it serves as an indicator of changes in trade costs rather than a uniform contractual price for every shipment. Published figures may also be revised.
The increase in the value of Morocco’s European butane gas imports, despite lower volumes, underscores the cost of securing supplies while public finances continue to support domestic consumption. The impact on the Compensation Fund will also depend on international prices, shipments from all supplier countries and the extent to which changes in acquisition costs affect actual subsidy expenditure.
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