Tomatoes: Morocco does not stop exports

For several days, false information has been circulating about a supposed blockage of shipments to Europe and Africa. Professionals in the sector categorically deny these rumors. According to Médias24, no decision to suspend globally has been made and the Moroccan market continues to be supplied. The current limitations only concern industrial tomatoes destined for certain sub-Saharan African countries.

On Bladi.net: The tomato becomes a luxury in Morocco, the bar of 14 dirhams crossed

The surge in prices, which reach up to 20 dirhams per kilo, is actually explained by a sharp drop in production. The agricultural season has been hit by diseases such as mildew and the spread of viruses. In addition, a violent storm ravaged thousands of hectares of greenhouses in the Souss-Massa region, while the rise in the cost of fertilizers and energy weighs heavily on farms.

For operators, exporting remains an essential balancing lever. It allows financing the local market by offsetting low-priced sales thanks to the revenues generated abroad. Farmers claim that without this mechanism, they would produce at a loss, which could lead to an even greater increase in prices for domestic consumers in the long term.

On Bladi.net: Moroccan markets under pressure due to rising prices

Finally, the sector points the finger at the shortcomings of the marketing chain. The price of tomatoes doubles or triples between the production areas and the urban centers due to the multiplication of intermediaries. Professionals insist: the current crisis does not come from exports, but from a combination of unfavorable climatic factors and dysfunctions in national distribution.