Join on WhatsApp 
Join on Telegram Doha – Spain has paid Morocco 30% more for fruit in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period last year, despite receiving 23.8 million kilograms less produce, according to a report by the Spanish media outlet OkDiario.
The European country reportedly acquired 125.5 million kilograms of fruit from Morocco for €434.1 million in the first six months of 2024, compared to 149.3 million kilograms for €405 million in the same period of 2023.
The price per kilogram reportedly increased from €2.7 to €3.46, with Spain spending an additional €28.5 million while importing less fruit.
OkDiario writes that because Spain is reportedly paying more for Moroccan fruit, Spanish farmers in the same sector are protesting having to sell their products at a loss, which they say violates the Food Chain Law.
Óscar Moret, head of fruit at the Coag agricultural organization in Aragón, Spain, commented on the situation to the outlet. “We calculate that nectarines or paraguayas cannot be sold below 45 cents because we are already close to the cost price. Well, we have seen those prices, in addition to seeing the same fruit at 57 cents,” he said.
Moret argues that even a 10-cent difference in price, while not significantly impacting consumer purchasing decisions, makes a substantial difference for farmers.
He warns that continued sales at a loss will lead to a shift in the sector, with family-owned businesses struggling to produce fruit amid price uncertainty and high production costs, potentially leading to large investment funds taking over production.
The Spanish report also mentions recent health alerts regarding Moroccan strawberries. On March 6, a batch of strawberries imported from Morocco on February 19 was found to contain pathogenic microorganisms corresponding to hepatitis A virus.
Union de Uniones, Spain’s second-largest agricultural organization, warned that more contaminated strawberries might have entered the country, with analysts suggesting the issue stemmed from the fruits being irrigated with water containing fecal matter.
In response to these incidents and protests, Spanish farmers have called for increased inspections of imported food, particularly from North Africa, and for agricultural representatives to be present during these inspections.
However, the National Office for Food Safety in Morocco (ONSSA) has since confirmed that Moroccan strawberries exported to Europe have been cleared of Hepatitis A virus contamination following an extensive investigation.
Despite the concerns, OkDiario reports that Spain’s imports of Moroccan strawberries persisted, surging by 48.17% this past February.
The Spanish outlet also reported that 82% of Spanish consumers now prioritize buying domestically produced food, with 88% believing that supermarkets should provide more information about the origin of the products they sell.
Read also: Morocco Leads Spain’s Non-EU Fruit and Vegetable Imports in Early 2024
