Brussels, 27/04/2015 (Agence Europe) - The entry price system for Moroccan fruit and vegetables on the European market, which came into force in October 2014 after a crisis period, is extremely satisfactory, according to an assessment by the Moroccan ministry for agriculture that was published by the country's media.
The ministry's satisfaction is not, however, shared by Morocco's professionals. They have made this known publicly, which is likely to rebound again on Euro-Moroccan relations - which often result in stormy Rabat-Madrid relations. This has come ahead of a visit from Spain's minister for agriculture, food and the environment, Isabel Garcia Tejerina, who was due to attend the eighth Agriculture Convention in Meknes on Monday 27 April.
In a press release on Thursday 23 April, the Moroccan ministry stated that it noted a “rigorous application enabling an effective monitoring of prices originating in Morocco”. “Morocco and the EU agree on stating that this new system is transparent and fair for all players”. A “daily statement of standard import values during this campaign has moreover faithfully translated the prices observed on the EU markets”, Morocco's department of agriculture and maritime fisheries says in its press release.
Tomato producers and exporters are less enthusiastic. “We have been subjected to this new system without being consulted by the authorities at any time (…) a done deal. We can only await the end of the ongoing campaign in order to take stock of the impacts of this new mechanism”, the press reports, quoting Omar Mounir, the vice-president of FIFEL (the interprofessional federation of fruit and vegetable exporters).
While the Moroccan ministry states that “the prices achieved by Morocco were better this year”, FIFEL says that the opposite has been observed. According to the same source, the prices stated “are not representative”, but rather “occasional peaks over short periods and on small quantities”. In Mounir's view, “if the average was calculated correctly, the prices would instead be around €0.06 per kilo” rather than €0.08 per kilo as the government states. (Fathi B'Chir)