FEPEX warns about the decline of Spanish tomatoes due to trade pressure from Morocco and Western Sahara

 

La FEPEX claim to Parlamento Europeo that does not ratify the modification of Acuerdo de Asociación with Marruecos Published in October, with the aim of curbing the loss of competitiveness of EU tomatoes in the face of increasing concessions granted to the productions of Sahara Occidental.

 

The decline of Spanish agricultural sovereignty

 

According to what has been reported Juan Jesús Lara, Chairman of the Comité de Tomate de FEPEXTomato cultivation represents a fundamental economic pillar in regions such as Almería, Granada, Murcia, Alicante o CanariasThese areas have consolidated a social fabric that generates hundreds of thousands of jobs, allowing that España has historically led the supply of this product in the community market.

 

However, the last decade reflects an alarming trend: while Spanish production for fresh consumption falls, imports from Marruecos They are skyrocketing. Since 2022, the Maghreb country has displaced España as the main supplier of the Unión EuropeaIn percentage terms, Spanish exports to the UE It has declined by 34%, contrasting with the 149% growth in purchases of Moroccan tomatoes by the Spanish market.

 

Market Indicator (Tomato)	Variation / Data
Export of España to UE	-34%
Spanish imports of Marruecos	+ 149 %
Exports of Marruecos to UE (since 2012)	+ 52 %
Growth in community purchases (last 10 years)	+ 34 %
Projected expansion of irrigated area Sahara Occidental	13.000 hectares
Forecast of increased agricultural production in the Sahara	> 1.000%

 

Regulatory asymmetries and the Western Sahara conflict

 

For the federation, this setback is not due to a lack of efficiency, but to a unequal competitionEuropean farmers must comply with strict labor, environmental, and phytosanitary regulations that are not applied to products from third countries. This situation has been exacerbated by the stance of the Comisión Europea following the sentences of Tribunal de Justicia de la UE of October 4, 2024.

 

These court rulings established that the Sahara Occidental It is a different territory from Marruecosexcluding their products from tariff advantages and requiring clear origin labeling. However, the Comisión Europea has modified the regulations to allow these productions to continue benefiting from the agreements, which in the words of FEPEX, it means "depriving the consumer of transparency and violating basic principles of community law".

 

The future outlook for the sector is worrying due to expansion plans in the conflict zone:

 

• Increase in irrigated area: Moroccan authorities plan to add an additional 13.000 hectares to the Sahara Occidental.
• Productive explosion: An increase in agricultural production of over 1.000% is estimated.
• Contagion effect: The impact will not be limited to tomatoes, but will affect the rest of the vegetables primarily destined for the European market.

 

Given this scenario, the business organization demands that European institutions ensure a differentiated customs and control regimeThe aim is to prevent the trade policy of UE consolidate a production model based on asymmetries that directly harm the local producer.

 

Key points and frequently asked questions about the tomato conflict

 

Why does FEPEX oppose the ratification of the Association Agreement?

Because the current modification allows the productions of Sahara Occidental enjoy tariff advantages originally intended to Marruecos, generating competition that the Spanish sector considers unfair and contrary to current court rulings.

 

What has been the real impact on Spanish exports?

In the last decade, Spanish tomato exports to the Unión Europea has fallen by 34%, losing its leadership to Marruecoswhose sales to the European Union have grown by 52% since the agricultural protocol came into force in 2012.

 

What do the 2024 rulings of the Court of Justice of the EU imply?

They recognize the Sahara Occidental as an independent territory of Marruecos For commercial purposes, this would require identifying the true origin on the label and excluding these products from the tariff preferences of the agreement with Rabat.