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Join on Telegram Doha – President Emmanuel Macron has invited Morocco’s King Mohammed VI to attend the Paris International Agriculture Show, where Morocco will make history as the first foreign country to be honored at the event since its creation.
According to the French newspaper Le Monde, the Moroccan monarch has not yet responded to the invitation for the show, scheduled from February 22 to March 2. If confirmed, this would mark King Mohammed VI’s first official visit to France since 2018.
The selection of Morocco as the guest of honor “reflects the importance of agricultural partnerships that bind us,” event organizers stated.
The decision follows France’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in July 2024 and Macron’s subsequent visit to Rabat in October of the same year.
French Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard emphasized the unprecedented nature of featuring a foreign agriculture sector at the show, describing Morocco as “a partner and friend of France.”
The minister highlighted potential mutual benefits, particularly in addressing climate challenges, noting that “French agriculture can usefully benefit from Morocco’s experience, particularly in quantitative water management.”
Morocco will showcase its agricultural heritage in a 476-square-meter central pavilion, featuring traditional cooperative products and agricultural exhibits demonstrating the sector’s diversity, according to El Mahdi Arrifi, Director General of the Agricultural Development Agency.
However, the celebration comes amid growing tensions over agricultural trade. French farmers, particularly through the Coordination Rurale union, have mounted protests over what French media outlets describe as “unfair competition” from Moroccan tomatoes.
Read also: Morocco Makes History as First Foreign Guest of Honor at Paris Agriculture Show
Le Monde reports that the controversy revolves around 250-gram cherry tomato packages from the Agadir region and Dakhla, sold in France for 0.99€. French producers have claimed, without providing evidence, that Moroccan growers use EU-banned insecticides and benefit from lower labor costs.
These unsubstantiated allegations have fueled demonstrations, leading to the dumping of thousands of Moroccan tomatoes on roads and supermarket parking lots throughout 2024.
Hélène Laporte, the National Rally deputy from Lot-et-Garonne who is cited in Le Monde’s report as leading recent criticism of the trade agreement, has since moderated her stance.
In a recent interview with Maroc Hebdo, she expressed regret that her positions “could have been interpreted as unfriendly towards Morocco” and affirmed her “deep attachment to the Kingdom of Morocco.”
This signals a remarkable turnaround from Laporte’s January 15 remarks in the National Assembly, where, according to Le Monde, she urged “engaging a process to revise the agreements” while singling out Moroccan tomato imports for scrutiny.
The timing of the invitation coincides with several high-profile French officials’ visits to Morocco. French Culture Minister Rachida Dati is expected in Laayoune on February 17 to inaugurate the French Cultural Center in the southern Moroccan city. Senate President Gérard Larcher will meanwhile lead a delegation to Morocco from February 23 to 26, including visits to Rabat and Laâyoune.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot is also scheduled to meet with his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita in the coming days, where agricultural issues are expected to be discussed.
A high-level meeting between both governments is planned in Morocco before summer to address various bilateral matters, including agricultural trade concerns.
The French-Moroccan agricultural trade flows underscore a complex interdependence, as French cereal exports commanded a dominant 45% share of Morocco’s grain imports in 2022, making Paris a crucial strategic partner in Rabat’s food security equation.
The figures reveal how French grain producers have emerged as primary beneficiaries of the bilateral free trade agreement.
