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A bilateral agreement between Moroccan and French tomato producers is expected to be signed in mid-March to better regulate the presence of Moroccan cherry tomatoes on the French market, reports Réussir. This deal is expected to prevent Moroccan producers from directly competing with local production at the start of the French season.
For a long time, Moroccan tomatoes were available off-season, complementing the French supply. However, with the development of greenhouse production in southern Morocco and the rise of the cherry tomato production, the balance has been disrupted.
Produced at lower costs due to cheaper labor and irrigation from desalinated seawater, Moroccan cherry tomatoes now appear on French shelves at the beginning of the season, priced much more competitively than those of local producers. This situation has created tensions between the two sectors.
However, discussions that have been ongoing for several months have laid the groundwork for a compromise. Initiated by the agriculture ministries of the two countries, the French-Moroccan joint committee on fruits and vegetables, inactive since 2019, was reactivated during the French president's state visit to Rabat last October.
Since then, several meetings have taken place between producer representatives, notably during the Meknès Agricultural Fair in April 2024 and the Paris Agricultural Fair in February 2025. The expected agreement will formalize commitments on the seasonality of Moroccan imports.
This rapprochement between the two sectors comes as Morocco has been featured at several agricultural events in France, notably as a guest at the Agricultural Fair and the Medfel fair, dedicated to fruits and vegetables, which is scheduled for April 23 and 24 in Perpignan. This development reflects a warming of economic relations between Paris and Rabat, following a period of diplomatic tensions.
