Moroccan tomato exports appear to be in the hot seat

The Russian National Union of Producers of Fruits and Vegetables has initiated an anti-dumping investigation into the supply of tomatoes imported into the territory of the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), (including Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan). Due to the ruble devaluation and an outbreak of COVID19 the demand and prices for vegetables and fruits have been falling. The tomato industry has become unprofitable, the union reported. The retail price of tomatoes in Russia during the period of self-isolation also fell to - 12%. An import ban to support the economy is unthinkable and it would violate Russia's WTO obligations. However, the EEU law provides the possibility of protecting domestic producers with the help of protective, anti-dumping and countervailing measures. This would risk threatening Moroccan - and Turkish - tomato exports within this zone, Morocco being Russia's third-largest supplier of tomato.