Tomatoes: Hatimy warns over production and prioritises Morocco's domestic market
Agriculture Minister Khalid Hatimy warned Parliament on 11 November 2026 that difficulties in tomato farming could force Morocco to import within three years without intervention. He called for domestic demand to be met before exports.
Tomatoes, December 2025. Archive illustration; does not show the Moroccan crops discussed. Israel.jimeneznuevo / Wikimedia Commons, CC0; unchanged. — Israel.jimeneznuevo / Wikimedia Commons — CC0 https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ ; 18 décembre 2025, sans modification.
According to remarks reported by Médias24 and Alyaoum24, the minister estimates virus-related crop losses at around 30%. He also describes a halving of tomato-growing land in the Chtouka-Aït Baha basin. These are his estimates; no independent agronomic assessment was consulted.
Hatimy announces a technical solution intended to extend local production throughout the year and advocates tighter management of exports. The import risk is a conditional warning, rather than an import decision or evidence that the announced arrangements are already operational.
New export permits to Africa remain suspended for three vegetables
New permits to export tomatoes, onions and potatoes to African markets remain suspended, while other produce may resume, Hespress and Assahifa report on 9 November 2026, citing responsible officials.
Archive, December 2010. Illustration; does not show an inspected Moroccan shipment. Amtsga / Wikimedia Commons, CC0; unchanged. — Amtsga / Wikimedia Commons — CC0 https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ ; 28 décembre 2010, sans modification.
The clarification limits the scope of the gradual restart mentioned the previous day by Omar Hejira. Assahifa attributes the continued restrictions to an Agriculture Ministry meeting on Monday morning.
A restart for the three products would depend on prices and supplies exceeding domestic needs. Existing permits are distinguished from new applications. No finally adopted monthly quota or complete shipment tally is established by the documents consulted.
Hajira announces phased resumption of export licences for African markets
Omar Hajira announced a phased resumption of new fruit and vegetable export licences for African markets from the following week, in an interview published by Hespress on 8 November 2026.
2005 illustration, not a Moroccan shipment. FoeNyx / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ ; unchanged. — FoeNyx / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ — 2005, sans modification.
The minister delegate for foreign trade envisages monitoring domestic quantities and prices. He said the suspension concerned new authorisations and did not block holders of earlier licences.
This is an announced resumption: its implementation and effects on prices have not yet been established.
Tomato prices ease in Rabat; local sources say Guerguarat traffic continues
On 7 November 2026, Hespress reported tomato prices of MAD13–15 per kilogram in several Rabat markets, down from as much as MAD17. The outlet also quoted local sources denying a general closure of the Guerguarat crossing.
2005 illustration; not the cited markets. FoeNyx / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ ; unchanged. — FoeNyx / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ — 2005, sans modification.
The retail decline is a local observation, without an established national average. A government source quoted by Belpresse attributes recent supply tensions to delayed ripening in Souss-Massa; expectations of further price falls remain a forecast.
At Guerguarat, in the Moroccan Sahara, Hespress says travellers and trucks carrying unrestricted goods continue to cross between Morocco and Mauritania. Some restricted agricultural consignments reportedly had to turn back. These reports do not amount to a lifting of export restrictions.
Tomatoes: Reuters reports pause in exports to African markets
Reuters reports that Morocco halted tomato exports to African markets on 5 November 2026 to support domestic supply.
Illustration from 2005; not Moroccan produce or a shipment. FoeNyx / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/; unchanged. — FoeNyx / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ — 2005, sans modification.
The agency cites FIFEL and an anonymous government source. The latter describes a temporary measure exempting Europe.
