Amid rising tomato prices in the local market, the Autonomous Establishment for Export Control and Coordination has decided to suspend exports of this agricultural product to European and African markets, after prices approached 15 dirhams per kilogram, according to a professional source.
The same source stated that the decision aims to rebalance the domestic market and ensure the availability of tomatoes for consumers, noting that it has been welcomed by producers and exporters as an effective measure to curb recent price increases.
Available data show that the measure has already impacted prices, with the cost of a crate of tomatoes in southern wholesale markets dropping from around 350 dirhams to approximately 100 dirhams.
Industry professionals expressed their support for this move, emphasizing its role in protecting consumers’ purchasing power and ensuring national food security.
The decision also comes amid external market developments, including the imposition of high tariffs by some African countries, notably Mauritania, on Moroccan tomato imports.