Morocco's Rise in the European Tomato Market
The landscape of the European tomato market has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, as Morocco has firmly established itself as the second largest supplier of tomatoes to the European Union (EU), trailing only behind the Netherlands. This shift has resulted in Spain being relegated to third place, marking a notable change in the dynamics of tomato exports within the EU. According to the latest data from Icex-Eurostat, the total volume of tomatoes traded in the EU during the recently concluded 2025/2026 campaign reached an impressive 2.78 billion kilograms, generating a total revenue of €5.57 billion, with an average price of €2 per kilogram.
While the Netherlands continues to lead the market with 773.45 million kilograms, accounting for 27.81% of the total, its sales have declined by 18.4%, creating an opening for Moroccan products. In contrast, Morocco has successfully exported 493.33 million kilograms of tomatoes to the EU, capturing a 17.74% market share worth €1.03 billion. Spain, once a dominant player, now holds a mere 17.11% of the market with 475.80 million kilograms valued at €1.017 billion. Although Spanish tomatoes command a slightly higher price at €2.14 per kilogram compared to Morocco's €2.09, this price difference does not offset the significant loss of market presence.
Impact on Almería's Tomato Production
The repercussions of this market shift are profoundly felt in Almería, a key region for tomato production in Spain. Recent statistics from Datacomex, which operates under the Ministry of Economy, reveal that between January and July 2026, fresh or refrigerated tomato exports from Almería to the EU were valued at €238.1 million, reflecting a sharp year-on-year decline of 10.7% from the previous year’s €266.6 million. This downturn translates to a loss of €28.5 million for Almería's agricultural sector in just seven months, a stark indication of the competitive pressures exerted by Moroccan imports that benefit from lower production costs.
Asaja Almería, a prominent agricultural organization, has reported that the province is losing approximately 27% of its tomato production, equating to nearly one in three kilograms, due to the relentless advancement of Moroccan offerings in the EU market. This trend has been alarming, with Moroccan tomato exports to the EU increasing by 34.8% since 2016, while Spanish production has plummeted by 36.2% during the same period. The organization attributes this crisis to what it terms "unfair competition," rooted in the stark differences in labor costs; labor in Spain is compensated at around €10 per hour, while Moroccan workers earn only €10 per day. In light of these challenges, Asaja has called for the immediate activation of safeguard clauses to protect the Spanish horticultural sector from further economic instability and potential losses in other strategic crops such as cucumbers and zucchinis.
As reported by sevilla.abc.es.
