Moroccan Tomatoes Labeled in Protest: French Farmers Raise Awareness of Unfair Competition

On Friday, farmers in Agen, Rennes, Brest, and Avignon took action to label Moroccan tomatoes sold in supermarkets to protest against the “unfair competition” of these products. Farmers are criticizing the situation, which they believe is largely due to ineffective customs agreements and insufficient legislation on the origin of fruits and vegetables. The Légumes de France organization, a specialized association of the FNSEA, issued a press release condemning these issues.

In Agen, around ten producers placed “Morocco” stickers on tomatoes being sold at the Bon-Encontre Intermarché to raise consumer awareness and highlight French production. Jonas Holaar, a tomato producer from Lot-et-Garonne, emphasized the unfair competition faced by French producers due to the low cost of Moroccan labor and the use of banned pesticides in Morocco.

Similarly, about twenty farmers in Brest conducted a similar action to bring attention to the issue. Another group of farmers in Rennes labeled cherry tomatoes with “Origin Maroc” stickers. They also expressed concerns about the free trade agreement between Europe and Morocco, which allows for the export of tomatoes with minimal customs duties. Ronan Collet, the president of the vegetables section of FDSEA 35, emphasized the impact of this agreement on French producers.