Spanish Farmers Alarmed by Surge in Moroccan Produce Imports

In a recent report, Fepex warns that the continued increase in Moroccan fruit and vegetable exports "will aggravate the already critical situation of the Spanish and European agricultural sector". The president of the association, Cecilio Peregrín, argues that Moroccan fruits and vegetables threaten Spanish production, deploring the inaction of the European Commission which does not apply the control measures provided for in the association agreement with Morocco.

The evolution of Spanish imports of fruits and vegetables from Morocco "follows an upward trend, particularly for certain sensitive products for certain producing regions, due to their contribution to their economy, employment and export orientation," notes Fepex, indicating that Spanish imports of Moroccan fruits and vegetables have increased from 177,095 tons in 2013 to 540,149 tons in 2022.

Spain imports five Moroccan products, including tomatoes, peppers, avocados and watermelons, which account for 89% of the total imports of the Iberian peninsula. This situation is due to the availability of lower-cost labor in Morocco for the production of fruits and vegetables, as well as the use by Moroccan producers of pesticides banned in the EU, explains Fepex.

Fepex denounces unfair competition from Morocco, arguing that the conditions for the production of fruits and vegetables in the kingdom, from an agronomic, social and environmental point of view, do not comply with EU regulations. The association also highlights the "decisive support" that Morocco receives from the EU, which considers it a "strategic partner". That is why it urges Brussels to take concrete measures to defend its "own producers" and to restore "fair competition".