EGYPT – The Spanish agricultural organization ASAJA Murcia has raised alarms about the growing competition posed by Egyptian fruit and vegetable exports.
According to the group, Egypt represents a significant challenge to Murcia’s agricultural sector and Spain as a whole.
ASAJA Murcia has criticized Egyptian exporters for engaging in practices it describes as “social dumping,” a term used to highlight unfair labor practices and low-cost production methods that undercut European standards.
“Since they also commit ‘social dumping,’ it is very important to strengthen phytosanitary controls to prevent the spread of pests and diseases entering Europe,” the organization emphasized in a recent statement.
Alfonso Gálvez Caravaca, secretary general of ASAJA Murcia, pointed to the financial disparity between the two regions as a primary challenge.
“It is very difficult to compete with countries like Egypt, where their costs are tiny compared to ours. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen phytosanitary controls for Egyptian exports,” he stated.
Gálvez Caravaca also noted the increasing presence of Egyptian products in the European market. “Egyptian exports of fruit and vegetables continue to grow, and we are eroding commercial hegemony in the European market,” he added.
The organization has called on the European Union to introduce measures that would better protect local farmers. Juan de Dios Hernandez, president of ASAJA Murcia, stressed the urgency of implementing tariffs on agricultural imports from third countries like Egypt.
“It is vital that the European Union put in place measures to protect European producers of fruit and vegetables, and the most important would be to apply tariff rates to third countries like Egypt, who want access to the European market,” he said.
Hernandez argued that without intervention, Spanish farmers would struggle to remain competitive.
“We cannot be competitive against countries like Egypt, so European leaders have to work to defend our interests because we are losing market share in Europe by leaps and bounds,” he said.
“Europe’s agreement with Mercosur is a big problem, but Egypt is another big threat, which seriously threatens our interests, and we cannot continue to lose profitability in marketing our products.”
Broader Trade Tensions
Meanwhile, Spain’s agricultural sector is also grappling with escalating trade disputes with Morocco.
Spanish farmers have accused Moroccan exporters of exceeding duty-free import quotas for tomatoes, adding to financial strain on local producers.
According to the Coordination of Spanish Farmers’ and Breeders’ Organisations (COAG), Moroccan tomato importers have breached the annual limit of 285,000 tonnes established by an EU-Morocco trade agreement.
COAG representative Andrés Góngora outlined the financial implications of the alleged violations. “Based on our calculations, importers of Moroccan tomatoes should have paid €71.7 million (USD 74.76 million) in import duties over the past five years for exceeding the agreed limits,” he said.
The group has announced plans to pursue legal action, which could heighten tensions between Morocco and EU countries.
Morocco remains a dominant exporter of tomatoes, with shipments to the EU totaling 528,773 tonnes in the fiscal year ending September 2024, according to Eurostat.
This figure represents a slight decline from the previous year but underscores the country’s significant presence in the market.
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