Macron Invites Moroccan King to Paris Amid Agricultural Tensions

Morocco, the guest of honor of this edition, finds itself at the heart of a controversy that continues to swell. The French agricultural unions, with the Coordination Rurale in the lead, cry out against "unfair competition", pointing the finger at Moroccan cherry tomatoes, exempted from customs duties, recalls the newspaper Le Monde. These small tomatoes, sold at prices defying all competition, have become the symbol of a grumbling that extends well beyond the supermarket shelves.

In 2024, the anger erupted into the open. Thousands of Moroccan tomatoes were dumped during "punch operations", a sign of exasperation that finds a political echo, particularly with the Rassemblement National. The party of Marine Le Pen, which maintains close ties with the Coordination Rurale, is riding this wave of discontent, with the European elections in its sights.

Hélène Laporte, RN deputy and new president of the France-Morocco friendship group in the National Assembly, has clearly stated her intention to "revise the agreements", particularly the one concerning tomatoes. A position which, although tempered by Rabat, which officially sticks to the agreement signed with Brussels, casts a chill.

The specter of a renegotiation of the agreement looms. Morocco warns: if there is a renegotiation, it will have to concern all products, including cereals, of which France is a major exporter to the kingdom. The message is clear: touching the agreement could be costly for everyone.

The statements of Arnaud Rousseau, president of the FNSEA, who had expressed his "ambition to renegotiate the agreement", did not help. Until then considered an ally, the head of the Avril group, present in Morocco through Lesieur Cristal, has poured oil on the fire.

The agricultural issue, now ultra-sensitive, is now at the heart of bilateral discussions. The agriculture ministers of the two countries have reactivated a committee dedicated to tomatoes, and the subject will be addressed during upcoming high-level meetings. Last year, the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, had denounced the "protectionist undertones" of Europe.