The Moroccan market gardening sector is going through a delicate period, marked by a drop in production in January according to a professional interviewed by Freshplaza. This situation, combined with similar challenges encountered in other producing regions such as Almería in Spain, is disrupting the global supply of tomatoes and other vegetables.
In Spain, the Almería region, one of the main vegetable production areas in Europe, saw its yield affected by low temperatures. These climatic conditions have slowed down harvests, made worse by the proliferation of pests, notably Parvispinus thrips, which cause significant damage to peppers. “The losses recorded due to these pests have a direct impact on the quality of the products,” explains Freshplaza Stéphane van Marrewijk, sales manager of the Vicasol company, based in Almería.
In December, the supply of tomatoes on European markets was still abundant, but it reduced significantly in January. According to Stéphane van Marrewijk, tomatoes represent more than 40% of Vicasol’s total vegetable production. Although tomato production was generally more stable than in the previous season, the impact of the Moroccan decline is being felt.
“After an abundant Moroccan supply between October and December, the reduction in production in January had a significant effect on the world supply, particularly for round varieties, cherries and plums,” he still explains. Freshplaza . This decrease comes as demand starts to rise again after the Christmas holidays, a usual phenomenon but exacerbated this year by the low volumes available. This situation has pushed prices to high levels on European markets.
Cold temperatures continue to slow harvests in key producing areas, a trend that could continue in the coming weeks. “The cucumber harvests have started in the Netherlands, but volumes will remain limited for some time, keeping prices at high levels,” adds Stéphane.
-Read also: Morocco follows the Netherlands in tomato exports, Spain in decline
As for peppers, the situation is just as worrying. Quality problems caused by pests are expected to persist through February and March, further complicating supply.
This situation illustrates the fragility of agricultural supply chains in the face of climatic and biological hazards. The drop in production in Morocco, combined with the difficulties encountered in Spain, underlines the interdependence of producing regions in a globalized market. While European consumers are already feeling the effects of this crisis on the shelves, producers are wondering about the solutions to implement to limit the impacts of these disruptions in the future.
