Morocco increases fruit prices for Spain amid protests over local farmer losses

MOROCCO – Morocco has significantly increased the prices of its fruit exports to Spain in the first half of 2024, charging 30% more than in the same period last year.

This price hike comes despite a reduction in the total quantity of fruit delivered, with Spain receiving 23.8 million kilograms less produce.

According to the Spanish media outlet OkDiario, Spain imported 125.5 million kilograms of fruit from Morocco for €434.1 million (USD 482.6 million) in the first six months of 2024, compared to 149.3 million kilograms for €405 million (USD 450.2 million) in the same period of 2023.

The cost per kilogram increased from €2.7 (USD 3.00) to €3.46 (USD 3.85), resulting in Spain paying an additional €28.5 million (USD 31.68 million) while importing less fruit.

This situation has sparked protests among Spanish farmers, who are facing the pressure of selling their products at a loss.

The farmers argue that the significant price disparity between Moroccan imports and local produce is unsustainable and breaches the Food Chain Law.

“We calculate that nectarines or paraguayas cannot be sold below 45 cents because we are already close to the cost price. Well, we have seen those prices, in addition to seeing the same fruit at 57 cents,” stated Óscar Moret, head of fruit at the Coag agricultural organization in Aragón.

Moret emphasized that while a 10-cent difference might seem small, it has a substantial impact on farmers’ livelihoods.

He cautioned that continued losses could force family-owned businesses out of the market, paving the way for large investment funds to dominate the sector.

Adding to the tension, recent health alerts concerning Moroccan strawberries have raised alarm in Spain. On March 6, a batch of strawberries imported from Morocco in February was found to contain hepatitis A virus.

Union de Uniones, Spain’s second-largest agricultural organization, has warned that more contaminated strawberries may have entered the country, suggesting that the contamination likely resulted from irrigation with water containing fecal matter.

In response to these health concerns, Spanish farmers have called for stricter inspections of imported food, particularly from North Africa.

They have also demanded that agricultural representatives be present during these inspections to ensure food safety standards are met.

However, the National Office for Food Safety in Morocco (ONSSA) has cleared Moroccan strawberries exported to Europe of any contamination following a thorough investigation.

Despite the concerns, Spain’s imports of Moroccan strawberries surged by 48.17% in February 2024.

The ongoing issues with Moroccan imports have also influenced consumer behavior in Spain.

According to OkDiario, 82% of Spanish consumers now prioritize buying domestically produced food, and 88% believe that supermarkets should provide more information about the origin of the products they sell.

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