Spanish tomato exports drop by 20% to the EU and imports from Morocco double

Published Apr 18, 2024

Tridge summary

Over the last decade, Spanish tomato exports to the European Union have declined by 20%, while Moroccan imports to the EU have more than doubled, positioning Morocco as the second largest supplier to the EU and the top supplier to the UK. This shift was a key topic at the Tomato Contact Group meeting in Almería, Spain, involving France, Italy, and Spain, where concerns were raised about the EU-Morocco Association Agreement, the ineffective entry price system, and the call for equal environmental and production standards. Additionally, the agricultural sector in Almería, responsible for over 60% of Spain's tomato exports, has seen a 7% increase in production but faces a 22% decrease in prices and a 17% reduction in billing, amidst costs that are 20% higher than two years ago. Despite these challenges, a slight increase in the cultivation area is expected, particularly for organic crops, indicating a complex scenario for European tomato producers, especially those in Spain.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

In the last decade, Spanish tomato exports to the European Union have decreased by 20% in the last decade, while uncontrolled imports from Morocco have more than doubled (up to almost 700,000 tons), placing this country as second supplier, behind Holland. But, in addition, Morocco has taken over the United Kingdom market, where purchases from Spain in 10 years have exceeded 130,000 MT. to 62,000Tm, while imports to Morocco increased from 30,000Tm. to the current 130,000Tm. These were some of the issues discussed in the Tomato Contact Group of the Joint Fruit and Vegetable Committee of France, Italy and Spain, which was recently held for the first time in Almería. Professionals in the tomato sector, together with those responsible for their respective administrations, have analyzed the reality and priorities of the sector during the meeting sponsored by Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias-Coexphal in Almería, the main producing province in Spain. The need to balance the conditions of ...

Source: Agroinformacion