Morocco and France are set to sign a bilateral agreement regulating cherry tomato imports by mid-March 2025. The agreement aims to alleviate competition concerns between Moroccan tomatoes and local French farmers during the early growing season. The change in market dynamics follows enhancements in Morocco’s agricultural practices and reduced production costs, prompting the revival of the French-Moroccan joint committee on fruits and vegetables to negotiate trade fairness.
A bilateral agreement between Morocco and France regarding tomato imports is anticipated to be finalized by mid-March 2025. This agreement, as reported by HortiDaily, aims to regulate the import of Moroccan cherry tomatoes into the French market, addressing the tension between local French farmers and the influx of low-cost Moroccan tomatoes, particularly during the early French growing season.
Historically, Moroccan tomatoes have complemented French supply during off-seasons. However, advancements in Moroccan agricultural practices, especially in greenhouse production and increased cherry tomato cultivation, have altered this dynamic. As a consequence, Moroccan tomatoes are entering the French market earlier and at more competitive prices than local produce, leading to rising tensions in the sector.
The cost advantages in Morocco stem from lower production costs associated with affordable labor and the use of desalinated seawater irrigation methods. To create a fairer trading environment, France and Morocco have reinstated the dormant French-Moroccan joint committee on fruits and vegetables, a move prompted by French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Rabat in October 2024.
Producer representatives from both countries have held several meetings, including at the Meknès Agricultural Fair in April 2024 and the Paris Agricultural Fair in February 2025. These engagements have set the stage for a well-structured agreement between Morocco and France. Additionally, concerns have been raised about the impact of Morocco’s drought and its ongoing cloud-seeding program.
The anticipated agreement between Morocco and France regarding cherry tomato imports seeks to manage competition and tensions within the French market. The shift in tomato supply dynamics, largely due to Morocco’s improved production capacity, necessitates formal regulation. The reactivation of the French-Moroccan joint committee reflects both countries’ efforts to balance trade conditions and ensure fair competition in the agricultural sector.
Original Source: euroweeklynews.com
