Over the past 15 years, Spanish tomato exports have fallen significantly, while imports from Morocco have grown remarkably, according to Spanish specialist media Hortoinfo.
In 2008, Spain exported some 957.6 million kilos of tomatoes, a figure that has fallen to 629.27 million kilos in 2022, generating a drop of 328 million kilos over this period. At the same time, Spanish tomato imports from Morocco have risen considerably. In 2008, Spain purchased some 31.37 million kilos of Moroccan tomatoes, a volume that has risen substantially to 89.42 million kilos in 2022, marking an increase of 185%, details the same source.
In terms of revenue, Spanish tomato purchases from Morocco were worth 22.47 million euros in 2008, with an average price of 0.72 euros per kilo. In 2022, these figures climbed significantly, reaching 103 million euros, with an average price per kilo of 1.5 euros. This substantial rise in the average price confirms the growing demand and perceived value of Moroccan tomatoes on the Spanish market.
This sales dynamic underpins Morocco’s well-deserved position on the Spanish and world markets, thanks in particular to the exceptional quality of its tomatoes and the diversity of the varieties on offer. Last year, Morocco became the leading supplier of tomatoes to Spain, accounting for 45.34% of the Iberian country’s total tomato supply. It overtook Portugal, which supplied almost 57,180 tonnes, the Netherlands (20,510 tonnes), Belgium (10,350 tonnes) and France (7,160 tonnes).
The Kingdom also surpassed its Iberian neighbor, which exported just over 600,000 tonnes in 2022, with more than 740,000 tonnes of this vegetable exported to Europe. The Kingdom’s success has been widely hailed by agricultural market observers.
According to statistics previously released by specialist platform EastFruit, Moroccan exporters deliver tomatoes to 44 countries, marking a significant expansion over the last six years, when this list comprised only half of these destinations, with deliveries to just 24 countries.
The rise of Moroccan tomato exports to the European market is part of a broader vision that aims to expand into the international market.
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