Tunisian date exporters have expressed growing concern over Morocco’s decision to tighten import controls on dates, a move aimed at protecting the local market that comes amid Tunisia’s peak export season.
The decision has reignited tensions between the two North African trading partners, particularly as Morocco is one of Tunisia’s most important markets for dates.
Ghazi Rouissi, general manager of Tunisian company Bayt Al-Tamr (House of Dates), told media outlets that producers and exporters began the season with optimism after improved national production, only to be surprised by the reactivation of an old Moroccan regulation restricting date imports. Rouissi said Tunisia was officially notified of the move on Dec. 24.
He added that the timing of the decision was especially disruptive, noting that large shipments were already en route to Morocco when the measure was reintroduced. Rouissi said about 15,000 tons of Tunisian dates were held at the port of Casablanca, with releases occurring slowly and in stages.
“Shipments were released gradually, starting with those for which exporters had already received payments, followed by shipments requested before Dec. 24,” he said. “Currently, there are no deliveries to Morocco.”
Rouissi said Morocco has the right to protect its local producers through import quotas, but criticized the abrupt implementation of the measure this year. “It would have been better if we had been given time to prepare and seek alternative markets,” he said.
He also argued that Tunisian dates deserve preferential treatment in Morocco, especially the popular “Deglet Nour” variety, which he said is highly demanded during Ramadan and not cultivated in Morocco. “Similar varieties that compete with local Moroccan production come from other countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan,” he added.
Rouissi stressed the historic nature of trade ties between Tunisia and Morocco, noting that many families in both countries depend on the date trade for their livelihoods. “Small producers and exporters in Tunisia rely heavily on the Moroccan market to sell most of their output,” he said. “Moroccan importers have also been harmed this year.”
While acknowledging that national interests should come first, Rouissi urged Moroccan authorities to consider the social and economic impacts of the import restrictions.
In October, Tunisia’s Joint Professional Date Council, under the Ministry of Agriculture, announced a decision—later reversed—to exclude the Moroccan market from the start of the Tunisian export season. The move sparked calls from Moroccan producers for a permanent ban on Tunisian date imports.
Moroccan industry representatives have criticized Tunisian dates as low quality, alleging the use of artificial additives and accusing some shipments of being repackaged Algerian dates to mislead Moroccan consumers. They also argued that increased domestic production has strengthened local output, and that imports could harm local farmers and threaten jobs in Morocco.
Let’s not play these dirty games with the lives of poor families who work hard to produce these wonderful Degla dates especially not during this time where Tunisian and Algerian dates are enjoyed/consumed greatly in the upcoming month of Ramadan.
We are Moroccans , we don’t punish the whole for the mistakes of the few.
Moroccan generosity and chivalry doesn’t permit these dirty coercions.