French Tomato Farmers Protest Surge in Moroccan Imports, Citing Unfair Competition

Despite the statements of the large retail chains in favor of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and their support for local producers, French tomato producers deplore a continued preference for imported products, particularly those from Morocco.

Thus, a group of local producers gathered in the parking lot of a hypermarket, invading the fruit and vegetable aisle to label the tomato trays with the mention "Origin Morocco". Laurent Israelian, a militant of "Légumes de France", points out in a statement to the newspaper La Marseillaise that this initiative aims to raise consumer awareness of the origin of the products they buy, and to draw the attention of the authorities.

French producers are particularly concerned about the trade agreement between the European Union and Morocco, which they accuse of contributing to this perceived unfair competition. They denounce methods of calculating the entry price and reductions in customs duties on large volumes that, according to them, deprive the European market of protection.

Today, Moroccan tomatoes account for 63% of the volume of French imports, with a 19% increase in one year.