Spanish economic reports, cited by journalist Francisco Miralles in the Spanish Huffpost on 22 September, highlighted a sharp rise in Spain's imports of fruits and vegetables from Morocco. The increase has triggered protests among Spanish farmers, who are calling on the European Union to ensure compliance with European Court of Justice (ECJ) rulings on Western Sahara.
According to official data from the Spanish Federation of Associations of Producers and Exporters of Fruits, Vegetables, Flowers, and Live Plants (FEPEX), Spain imported €672 million worth of agricultural products from Morocco in the first four months of 2025. By mid-year, that figure had risen to €899.5 million, representing a 33% increase compared with the same period in 2024. In terms of value, Morocco has become Spain's leading supplier in the fruit and vegetable sector.
While France still supplies the largest volumes, Morocco continues to narrow the gap. Tomatoes remain a particularly sensitive category. Over the past decade, Spanish imports of Moroccan tomatoes increased by 269%, from 18,045 tons in 2014 to 66,624 tons in 2024. Over the same period, Spain's tomato exports to the EU fell by 25%. Farmers say this has contributed to pressure on local production and loss of market share.
Spanish farmers' associations have expressed concern that pricing in the market is being affected by insufficient oversight of the entry-price system at the border, particularly for tomatoes. They have urged Brussels to strengthen monitoring to avoid potential irregularities.
The debate also involves political and legal questions about the origin of products from Western Sahara. Sahrawi representatives argue that agricultural production from the territory is being marketed under Morocco's trade framework. They say this raises issues about natural resource use and compliance with ECJ rulings, which require that Western Sahara products be excluded from EU-Morocco trade preferences unless consent is obtained from the Sahrawi people and their representative, the Polisario Front.
The matter has reached the European Parliament's Committee on Petitions after interventions by Spanish MEPs Carmen Crespo (Popular Party) and Mireia Borrás (Vox). Both lawmakers called for tighter monitoring of the entry-price system and stricter application of EU trade agreements with Morocco. Crespo described the situation as an "unacceptable imbalance" affecting southern Spanish farmers.
The ECJ annulled the EU-Morocco fisheries and agriculture agreements in October 2024 because they lacked Sahrawi consent, a decision reaffirmed in January 2025. The Court clarified that products originating from Western Sahara must be excluded from EU trade preferences and clearly labelled as such.
This ongoing debate underscores the intersection of trade, competition, and legal compliance, as farmers and policymakers call for both fair market conditions and respect for ECJ rulings.
Source: Sahara Press Service