Tomato: Shortage looming in Morocco?

The situation is very worrying, according to a producer based in Agadir who fears a shortage as early as February. "Each producer is doing their best to cope with the shortage of plants. There is no collective solution. The scarcity of resistant plants this season is exacerbated by the lack of biological control solutions and the recent updates to the lists of authorized plant protection products in Morocco and Europe, which have removed several effective chemical products. The winter cycle will therefore be marked by a drop in volumes, which we are already seeing on the ground," he explains.

According to the producer, interviewed by Fresh Plaza, peppers and tomatoes are the most affected. "Pepper prices have reached unprecedented levels. Tomato prices are also high on the local Moroccan market, despite the low volumes exported to Europe so far. It’s only a matter of time before the shortage of early vegetables reaches the European market and the local Moroccan market by February, and buyers should expect prices to skyrocket."

The recent floods recorded in the south of Morocco, in the Dakhla region, have exacerbated the situation. Although the tomato segment has been the most impacted, other varieties on the local Moroccan market could also be affected. According to the producer, the production problems will not be resolved by February, coinciding with Ramadan. "A new restriction in 2026 cannot be ruled out. There will be Ramadan, and just before that, there will be the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament between December and January, which is likely to increase local demand while volumes will be low," he warns.