Spanish Farmers Protest EU’s Tomato Import Policies Amid Morocco Competition

The EU is not taking the right measures to limit the massive import of tomatoes from Morocco and also from Turkey, denounce the Spanish farmers, stressing that this flexibility of the EU has a negative impact on the profits of Spanish producers who must comply with European regulations. They also draw attention to the fact that these products coming from third countries do not undergo any health checks, which raises doubts about their quality, relays HuffPost.

For Spanish farmers, this invasion of Moroccan tomatoes is an unfair competition that the EU maintains with its agreements with Morocco or Turkey. Spanish farmers also denounce the passivity of the EU which, according to them, does nothing to protect the interests of Spanish and community farmers.

Meanwhile, Morocco is increasing its production of tomatoes, onions and potatoes, thanks to subsidies ranging from 3,600 to 6,300 euros per hectare cultivated. The kingdom also subsidizes fertilizers up to 200 million euros, and ensures the availability of at least 600,000 tons of phosphate fertilizers to its producers.

"While we are committed to deregulating the entry of products from third countries, our competitors are strengthening agri-food export aid, with measures that would fall into illegality, deepening commercial dumping against tomato production," criticize the Spanish farmers who plan a 21.5% decrease in the area cultivated and a 22% decrease in the production of fresh tomatoes in Spain until 2035.