Seven million single-use masks and one million cloth masks come off Moroccan production lines every day, the paper said, pointing out that as soon as the first case of coronavirus was detected, on 4 March, on Moroccan soil, "the textile industry has put itself in the order of battle to produce masks on the line".

 A production made possible thanks to a textile industry which, with its 200,000 direct and 200,000 indirect jobs, remains the leading employer sector in Morocco, underlined La Croix, based on figures from the Moroccan Association of Textile and Clothing Industries (Amith).

 At present, the daily Moroccan production of masks has risen to seven million, the paper said. To this production should be added cloth masks, which can be reused five times, also certified by Imanor, the standardization institute. The cloth masks will be "on sale soon on the Moroccan market," according to La Croix, quoting Mohammed Boubouh, president of Amith.

"Already 32 companies have been certified, producing one million cloth masks a day. This production is expected to almost double within the next two weeks," he said.

 "As soon as the Moroccan market is fully satisfied and we have the green light from the government, we will be able to export," stressed the president of Amith.

The paper La Croix pointed out that "given the worldwide shortage of masks, customers from Europe, Africa and America knock on Morocco's door".

 In Morocco "the mask market will be sustainable. And the chain is not about to stop", the French paper noted, quoting Amith president.