The resumption of the maritime route connecting the Canary Islands and Tarfaya is expected to be a gateway for Moroccan agricultural products to enter the market. However, this comes at a challenging time for Spanish farmers who struggle against competitors not meeting the same production requirements, reports Iberian news outlet Libre Mercado.
While the new ferry route promises economic and social benefits for both the Canary Islands and Morocco, local farmers are concerned, pointed out the same source.
They are worried about unfair competition due to “the ecological requirements and fiscal costs”, as well as fearing “the potential introduction of pests and diseases.”
“Imports without control from Morocco would represent a serious threat to local productions and a danger to the livestock of the islands with disastrous consequences for the Canary Islands countryside,” reported the same source.
In this regard, Asaga Canarias Asaja, the Association of Farmers and Ranchers of the Canary Islands, urged for the non-resumption of the maritime connection between Puerto del Rosario in Fuerteventura and the port of Tarfaya in Morocco for the ongoing year.
This came following leaked information from a recent meeting between the Government of the Canary Islands and the Moroccan delegation.
The agricultural sector fears that the recovery of this line may result in a massive influx of agricultural and livestock products from Morocco to the islands at the worst time for the Spanish countryside.
They also fear that the introduction of these goods may bring pests and diseases, including phytosanitary and epizootic ones.
The same source explained that “the spread of such pests and diseases could result in losses in local production and pose a threat to livestock.”
Asaga Canarias Asaja has raised concerns regarding the potential threat to their agriculture posed by certain plant pathogens present in Morocco, such as the tomato rough virus and the false moth (Thaumatotibia leucotreta).
The organization emphasizes that the potential entry and spread of these insects may also violate the Order of March 12, 1987, which governs the import, export, and transit of vegetables and products.
“This regulation theoretically acts as a barrier to precisely halt the arrival of agricultural pests and diseases in the Canary Islands,” pointed out the Spanish organization, according to the same source.
The launch of the maritime route seeks to fortify economic, social, and cultural ties between the two regions, said Khalid Cherkaoui, the Secretary General of Transportation of Morocco in January during a meeting between the Moroccan government and the Canary Islands institutions.
He also emphasized the significance of this route and shed light on Morocco’s investments in logistics, port, and road infrastructure to enhance connectivity.
Cherkaoui that the maritime route is expected to complement existing air connectivity and enhance opportunities between both territories.
The Canary Islands’ decision to re-establish maritime ties with Morocco is due to the latter’s growing significance as a key regional player in accessing West African markets, a move the Canary Islands government is keen to capitalize on.
The re-establishment of these ties is expected to positively impact the tourism sector in the southern regions of the Kingdom, as these islands are significant regional markets for tourists worldwide.
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