Spanish farmers sue over “excessive” Moroccan tomato exports

Spanish tomato farmers are suing Morocco over what they claim is tax fraud linked to tomato exports to the EU. The Spanish Coordination of Agricultural and Livestock Organizations (COAG) argues that Morocco has surpassed its 285,000-ton duty-free export quota set by the EU Free Trade Agreement, causing economic harm to Spanish producers, particularly in Andalusia.

Since 2019, Morocco has exceeded the quota by 230,000 tons annually, leading to a potential tax evasion of over €71.7 million.

This surge in exports has caused significant declines in Spanish production, with regions like the Canary Islands and Andalusia losing nearly 4,000 hectares of tomato fields in the past five years.