Rabat – Despite Morocco’s standing as the third-largest global exporter of tomatoes, trailing only behind Spain and The Netherlands, the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) has revealed that the country is grappling with the pervasive threat of ToBRFV.
The first outbreak of the virus first came in October 2021 in the Souss-Massa region, and by March 2022 had spread to the Dakhla region.
The NPPO reported that during the ongoing 2022-23 production season, around ten verified cases of ToBRFV outbreaks have been documented in greenhouse-cultivated tomatoes for fruit production.
ToBRFV has been a priority quarantine pest in Morocco since 2018, prompting official measures to be taken upon its detection.
Despite the report, the economic toll on Moroccan tomato growers is challenging to quantify. However, the impact of the virus extends far beyond financial losses, seeping into the very fabric of the industry.
Diminished crop yields and compromised fruit quality can lead to ripple effects of reduced demand and market difficulties, due to the restrictions on infected tomatoes.
While conservative estimates have placed losses at around 10% in production, the severity of infection and the effectiveness of implemented measures necessitate case-specific studies to accurately gauge the true impact on Moroccan tomato growers.
In the face of this economic onslaught, Moroccan tomato farmers are employing a set of management strategies to weather the storm, including the adoption of ToBRFV-resistant tomato varieties, heightening biosecurity measures.
