Rabat – Spanish tomato producers are increasingly concerned about competition from Morocco, which they see as a major threat to their industry.
According to the 2023 Food Consumption Report from Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, the average tomato consumption in Spanish households stands at 11.2 kilograms per person annually, making it the staple vegetable in the country.
Tomatoes account for 23% of total vegetable consumption, with households purchasing a total of 525 million kilograms.
This high demand stresses the prominence of tomatoes in both Spanish agriculture and the economy, with exports reaching 558,514 tonnes valued at 1.17 billion euros.
Despite its successes, the Spanish tomato industry complains from international competitors like Morocco and Turkey, as well as issues related to climate change and fluctuating agricultural input costs, which can impact producer profitability.
Juan Hernandez, president of the tomato sector of the Murcia-based Association of Fruit and Vegetable Producers and Exporters (Proexport), a member of the Spanish Federation of Fruit and Vegetable Producers and Exporters (Fepex), expressed this concern.
Hernandez pointed out that “international competition, particularly from countries like Morocco and Turkey, has intensified in recent years,” in a statement to Fepex.
Read Also: Morocco Captures 65% of EU’s Tomato Import Market in 2023
The Moroccan competition is mentioned by Hernández as a pressing issue even before other challenges facing the sector, such as climate change, fluctuations in agricultural input prices, dumping, control of distribution channels, and the Rugose virus affecting crops.
Spanish producers are particularly worried about Moroccan competition in European markets, where Morocco surpassed Spain in 2022 to become the leading tomato supplier.
According to the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture’s report on food consumption in Spain, the country consumed over 525,000 tons of tomatoes in 2023, averaging more than 11.2 kilograms per person.
In February, European farmers staged protests by blocking roads and attacking Moroccan trucks transporting vegetables, claiming that non-EU countries are engaging in unfair competition.
Reports indicated a group of around 100 farmers had ceased their blockade of the Port of Tarragona by 10 a.m.
Meanwhile, approximately 400 farmers continued their protest by blocking the AP7 highway in Pontos, Girona, about 40 kilometers from the French border.
The core of the farmers’ grievances is that vegetables from countries like Morocco are sold at lower prices due to their failure to meet the same environmental and labor standards as EU producers, which they argue gives Moroccan products an unfair advantage.
This contention comes against the backdrop of Morocco’s major presence in the EU market.
In 2023, Morocco accounted for 65% of the EU’s total tomato imports, with volumes increasing from nearly 329,700 tons to over 539,300 tons.
Notably, 78% of these Moroccan tomatoes were imported by France, making up 98% of France’s tomato imports from non-EU countries during the same period.
