‘A scapegoat for deeper problems’: Moroccan growers hit back at Spanish farm lobby

Fruit and vegetable producers and exporters from Morocco’s southern provinces have criticised a campaign led by Spanish farming organisations against the revised agricultural agreement between Morocco and the European Union, arguing that the opposition reflects structural weaknesses within parts of Spain’s farming sector rather than unfair competition.

Under the updated agreement, agricultural products originating from Morocco’s southern regions benefit from the same preferential access to the EU market as products from the rest of the country.

 Spanish critics, including the Andalusian Farmers’ Union (COAG Andalucía), have claimed the deal exacerbates pressure on European producers and misleads consumers through revised labelling rules for products from the Sahara.

In a statement, COAG Andalucía warned that 2025 would be a “turbulent year” for agriculture, citing the EU’s common agricultural policy, pest pressures and competition from third countries.

 The organisation argued that changes to the EU–Morocco agreement risked intensifying what it described as “unfair competition” for European farmers.

Moroccan producers reject that narrative. Ahmed El Fallah Mohamed, regional representative of the Interprofessional Federation for Fruit and Vegetable Production and Exports in Dakhla–Oued Eddahab, said the criticism ignored market realities and principles of free competition.

“Spanish producers are struggling to compete in terms of productivity and quality, and instead of addressing these challenges, some organisations resort to blaming Morocco,” he told Hespress.

 He stressed that Moroccan agricultural products, particularly those from the southern provinces, comply with strict sanitary and quality standards and enjoy strong demand across European markets.

El Fallah added that Moroccan exports help support European food security, especially during winter months when production in many EU countries declines due to cold weather and snowfall. He argued that fears expressed by Spanish organisations are also linked to the expected growth of agricultural investment in Morocco’s southern regions, boosted by regulatory clarity and major infrastructure projects such as the future port of Dakhla, set to become a key logistics hub for exports.

Ali Bida, a producer and exporter from the southern provinces, echoed these views, saying claims of unfair competition were misplaced.

He noted that European farmers, including in Spain, had long benefited from generous subsidies under the EU’s common agricultural policy.

“With the gradual reduction of this support in recent years, some producers are now looking for external scapegoats to explain their loss of competitiveness,” Bida said.

He added that Moroccan producers have succeeded by maintaining consistent, year-round supply and high quality standards, while parts of the European sector have struggled to adapt to changing market conditions.