Morocco’s tomato industry is struggling with adverse weather conditions and labor shortages, as 2025 marks the country’s sixth consecutive year of drought. Despite the challenges, Morocco remains a major competitor to Spain and other countries in the EU market.
Currently, Morocco’s tomato exports remain robust and are a key source of revenue amid difficult local market conditions. Khalid Saïdi, president of Morocco’s Association of Fruit and Vegetable Producers and Exporters (APEFEL), stated, “It is thanks to this half of the production that is exported that producers manage to get by.” Fresh tomato imports from Morocco into Spain in January-March 2025 reached 31,986 tons, up by 34.9% year-on-year (y-o-y), according to data published by the European Commission, and Moroccan exports to the EU have increased by 58.2% over the past ten years.
However, farm workers and producers in Morocco are increasingly moving towards more profitable produce categories, such as raspberries and blueberries, as water scarcity persists. According to James Tyler, Weather and Crop Researcher at Expana, “Rainfall was below average for most of 2024, which created a poor situation for the agricultural industry going into 2025. Since the start of 2025, rainfall has continued to be below average. The exception was in March, when storms brought heavy rain to the country, restoring prospects for agriculture and the use of irrigation. However, there hasn’t been a lot of rainfall since. As of the end of May, Morocco has received 21% less rainfall than historical expectations in 2025. This prolonged drought has lasted for six consecutive years.”
In addition, many agricultural workers have left Morocco to work on European farms, or are being drawn to other sectors, such as the domestic automotive industry. Saïdi added, “Being a producer in the tomato industry in Morocco has become a risky profession. Many people are retraining.”
The scarcity of labor poses a significant threat to Morocco’s exports, as the country’s low labor costs underscore its competitiveness. Furthermore, the increasing presence of Moroccan tomatoes in the EU market continues to be a source of frustration for European growers. The Spanish exporter federation, Fepex, states that EU member states are struggling to compete, as they must adhere to regulatory standards that are not applied to third countries.
In response, the European Commission has drafted a new regulation that aims to review market monitoring processes and reassess how import values are calculated for the fruit and vegetable sector. According to Saïdi, this demonstrates that the EU intends to restrict market access for Moroccan produce, particularly tomatoes.
Image source: Adobe
Written by Craig Elliott
