On Thursday, Moroccan newspaper Les Inspirations Éco replied to a note from Freshuelva, which asked the European Union to establish customs duties on strawberry imports from Morocco, by stating that Spanish farmers were not only haunted by Morrocan tomatoes but also by the country's strawberries.
"In a complicated competitive context, it's not the first time that strawberry producers in this region of Spain have attacked Moroccan products, expressing their concern about the increase in imports from Morocco," the media outlet stated.
"According to Freshuelva, these imports jeopardize the competitiveness of Spanish producers because production costs are much lower in Morocco," Les Inspirations Éco added. The association raises environmental concerns related to importing strawberries from Morocco and highlights the carbon footprint of this country's strawberry-producing sector, as their product has to be transported long distances to reach European markets.
"It's paradoxical that the European Union, which advocates sustainability policies, allows the import of products that have a much higher ecological footprint than that of local products," stated José Luis García-Palacios, president of Freshuelva.
Mohamed Sadiki, Morocco's Minister of Agriculture, has previously denounced similar attempts "to discredit Moroccan agricultural products" and explained that "Moroccan health standards are strict."
Source: larazon.es