French farmers denounced unfair competition in Moroccan tomatoes and Ukrainian sugar

Published 2024년 1월 30일

Tridge summary

France's agricultural sector is under pressure due to increased competition, with half of its vegetables and 60% of its fruit now being imported. The Tomatoes and Cucumbers of France producers' association has criticized the surge in Moroccan tomato imports, blaming it on a trade agreement between the EU and Morocco and accusing mass distribution brands of prioritizing low-cost offers over French produce. The association also raised concerns about Morocco's high water stress and low labor costs. Additionally, the General Confederation of Beet Growers (CGB) has demanded a stop to the large-scale imports of Ukrainian sugar, following the closure of five sugar factories in France and the loss of two beet production areas.

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Original content

France now imports half of its vegetables and 60% of its fruit. Despite a “sovereignty plan” announced a year ago, French market gardeners and fruit growers face stiff competition from the south of the Mediterranean basin. The Tomatoes and Cucumbers of France producers' association denounced on Monday the increase in imports of Moroccan tomatoes to France in 2023, favored by a trade agreement between the European Union and Morocco. “In the 2022-2023 season, 424,690 tonnes of Moroccan tomatoes were imported into France, for 394,740 tonnes in 2021-2022, an increase of 7.6%. In value, this increase is more than 168 million euros, or 27.5%,” says the association. These imports “are very clearly driven upwards by mass distribution brands which favor “low price” offers to the detriment of the French offer”, and also by “the absence of clear labeling” for the consumer, depending on the producer group. Farmers denounce unfair competition, but also “aberrations” in terms of environmental ...

Source: TerreNet