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The EU Buys More Tomatoes from Morocco than from Spain

Over the past decade, Morocco’s tomato exports to the European Union have grown sharply.

The EU Buys More Tomatoes from Morocco than from Spain



Between the 2015/2016 and 2024/2025 seasons, Morocco moved from shipping less than Almería and Spain to exporting volumes that now exceed Almería—and ultimately Spain’s total exports—according to a Hortoinfo analysis based on Estacom and Euroestacom data.

Lower Spanish volumes, higher prices

Spain’s leading tomato-exporting province, Almería, recorded a 28.16% decline in sales to the EU, falling from 497.61 million kg in 2015/2016 to 357.49 million kg in 2024/2025. Despite the drop, export value increased from €451.44m to €566.81m, driven by a higher average price rising from €0.91/kg to €1.59/kg.

Murcia posted a 29.5% decrease in volume (from 65.99 to 46.52 million kg), but an increase in export value from €58.97m to €73.63m, with an average price of €1.58/kg.

Granada saw the steepest volume decline (-48.52%), from 76.8 to 39.54 million kg. However, value fell more moderately (-28.9%) thanks to an increase in average price from €1.95/kg to €2.70/kg.

Together, these three provinces account for most Spanish exports: Almería (68.77%), Murcia (8.95%), and Granada (7.61%).

Overall, Spain reduced tomato exports to the EU by 33.42%, from 780.8 million kg in 2015/2016 to 519.83 million kg in 2024/2025. Over the same period, total export value rose from €800m to €888.43m, with an average price of €1.71/kg.

Morocco’s rise

By contrast, Morocco’s exports increased by 41.39%, from 406.36 million kg in 2015/2016 to 574.54 million kg in 2024/2025.

Almería remained the top exporter until 2018/2019, when Morocco reached 469.63 million kg, overtaking Almería (428.21 million kg) that season.

The national turning point came in 2022/2023: Morocco surpassed Spain’s total exports to the EU for the first time, with 544.08 million kg versus 525.62 million kg for Spain. Spain briefly regained the lead in 2023/2024, before losing it again in 2024/2025: 574.54 million kg for Morocco, compared with 519.83 million kg for Spain.

 

Hortidaily