Brussels, 15/05/2015 (Agence Europe) - The Moroccan Minister for Agriculture appeared to be reassured regarding this issue but also wants to be able to reassure his worried tomato producers. The latter have expressed concerns about the risks to their exports to Europe. They have not been very convinced by the access regime organised in October 2014 with the European Commission, which sought to put an end to the crisis experienced during the summer of last year. Euro-Moroccan relations are therefore at risk of undergoing another turbulent period. Another dispute seems to be developing between the Moroccan government and producers and between the latter and their Spanish counterparts. It also seems highly likely that the European Commission, which has already been called on, will soon be involved in this spat.
The Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries is, however, optimistic. At the beginning of the week he addressed this point and informed the media that managing this agreement was being done in a robust way, “that will allow for the efficient follow-up of the original prices”. The minister explained, according to the media broadcasting his assessment, that since the entry into force of the new system, the application follow-up demonstrates that it has been “transparent and fair for all the operators”. He also asserted that “Morocco and the EU have agreed that this new system has not caused any upset on the European fruit and vegetables market”. According to the media, the Moroccan Minister even believes that the current season has been characterised by “an improvement in Moroccan tomato prices on the main European market in St Charles”.
The producers assert, however, that “it would appear that they are unable to correctly interpret the figures in the northern Mediterranean or they are colour-blind. Flooding onto the market is just in the imagination or the subconscious of those that hate the South”. These producers are represented by FIFEL and in a statement obtained by EUROPE, they claim that until very recently they have been and are still witnessing an unexplained and groundless aggressiveness, “unsupported by valid arguments, against Moroccan tomatoes by Spanish lobbyists”. In this statement they denounce the disgust the Spanish lobbies have stirred up against Moroccan tomatoes, which they accuse of having gone above the quotas set out in the agreement. The latter have obtained the support of the European Parliament in challenging the access regime. A resolution presented by the UPyD Party obtained support from the entire Parliament and claimed that “it is necessary to demand increased controls of Moroccan tomato exports”. A spokesperson for this party said that the resolution calls for a review of the European regulations to ensure stricter inspections at the border. Moroccan sales are said to have increased by 50% over the first few months of this agricultural season, according to El Pais, which quotes European statistics in this connection. Italian and French producers have also backed the concerns expressed by their Spanish counterparts. (Fathi B'Chir)