Moroccan tomato exports plummeted 43 percent from 105,220 tons in 1999 to 59,520 tons in 2000, reported the Moroccan Fruit and Vegetables Producers and Exporters Association.
Responsible for the decrease in tomato production, the association said, was a reduction in the amount of land used for tomato farming, a result of the white fly virus that afflicted the region. In addition, a spate of low temperatures negatively affected the tomato crops.
The white fly virus has been devastating to the Moroccan tomato-growing sector. In the exports season that spanned 1997 and 1998, some 220,000 tons of tomatoes were exported, up from 165,000 tons in the 1996-1997 season.
At that time, the 33 percent growth was achieved despite a 9.7 contraction of the tomato-growing area, because of demand from new markets — and particularly Russia, which consumed 48,000 tons worth of Moroccan tomatoes. The traditional European market consumed 32,000 tons.
The falling in production came during a year that promised stability for Morocco’s tomato-growing sector. In January 2000, Morocco’s secretary of state for foreign affairs, Taieb Fassi Fihri, had reached an agreement with the European Community agriculture commissioner, Franz Fischler, over tomato export quotas, so ending the dispute.
A 1994 agreement between Morocco and the European Community ceilings on the amount of tomatoes Morocco could export each month to EC bloc. But, late in 1999, the EC accused Morocco of sharply exceeding the quotas in October and November.
It then imposed import licenses on Moroccan tomatoes starting from January 2000. Morocco said the move would damage its vegetable sector and threatened to complain to the World Trade Organization, according to news reports.
According to the January 2000 agreement, the European Commission agreed to drop the licensing system on the understanding that Morocco would respect previously agreed to import quotas for the remainder of the tomato season, which was to ends in March.
According to the quota system, Morocco was permitted to export 90,200 tons of tomatoes to the EC between January and March. But, as it was, it was not able to come anywhere close that amount. — (Albawaba-MEBG)
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
