Morocco To Curb Tomato Exports Ahead of Ramadan

Rabat – Morocco is reducing tomato exports to Europe to keep the local market adequately supplied and prevent rising tomato prices heading into Ramadan. Tomato demands tend to peak during the month of Ramadan.

Morocco’s annual exports of tomatoes to the European Union are set at 430,000 tonnes, making the country the union’s largest outside supplier, according to Bloomberg.

The reduction move is mainly to counter the drought-induced surge in food prices. Reducing export would bring down tomato prices to under 5 dirhams ($0.51) per kilo, indicates the Bloomberg report.

The measure is in line with a government statement last week indicating that Morocco’s tomato production meets market demand.

The statement came on the backdrop of soaring tomato prices, averaging MAD 10 ($1.02) to MAD 12 ($1.22) per kilogram, sparking anger among citizens.

Demand for tomato spikes during Ramadan, as it is a staple ingredient in Harira, a traditional Moroccan soup eaten nearly every night during the month.

The government statement also indicated that rising international demand for tomatoes offsets rising prices, reassuring citizens that the government will enact a number of measures to keep consumer prices in check ahead of Ramadan.

In the same week, the government announced a number of measures to mitigate rising oil prices as they directly correlate with consumer purchasing power in Morocco.

The government announced yesterday that it will step in to directly support transportation professionals, with full details of the plans yet to be disclosed.

The decision comes after transportation professionals decided to halt activities earlier this month protesting rising oil prices.