France Seeks EU Review of Moroccan Tomato Import Prices

In a report, the French Ministry of Agriculture explains that the massive import of fresh Moroccan tomatoes is favored by the 2012 agreement between the European Union and Morocco, noting that Moroccan farmers produce higher value and smaller varieties, such as cherry tomatoes, which meet the demand of the European and French markets in particular.

The report notes that under the EU-Morocco agreement, Moroccan tomato producers export 285,000 tons of this product to the EU duty-free each year from October 1 to May 31, and benefit from a 60% reduction in ad valorem duties beyond this quota throughout the year, without specific duties.

The French ministry believes in its report that the entry into force, last January, of a new customs code for fresh tomatoes of a size less than 47 mm, should be accompanied by a new import value, stressing that this measure will not solve the problem of the invasion of Moroccan tomatoes in the EU, their value exceeding their entry price.

The report notes the difficulty of making significant changes if no strong measures are taken, fearing an amplification of the phenomenon, in view of Morocco’s ambitious vision for agricultural development. To correct the situation, the French ministry proposes to revise the import price of Moroccan tomatoes, to differentiate the varieties and to eliminate the single customs tariff for all varieties.