New data from Hortoinfo shows that Moroccan tomatoes sales to the UK have increased by 66.83%, from 49.84 million kilograms in 2016 to 83.15 million kilograms in 2020. The UK reduced Spanish tomato imports by 37.5%, a decrease from 144.72 million kilograms in 2016 to 90.44 million in 2020. Compared to the previous year, the UK imported 22.6% more tomatoes from Morocco. Imports of Spanish tomatoes reduced by 24.6%. Despite the increase in imported tomatoes from Morocco, the Netherlands continue to top the list with the highest number of tomatoes exported to the UK. Hortoinfo’s data shows that the Netherlands was the UK’s largest tomato supplier with 149.34 million kilograms worth a value of € 220.19 million ( MAD 2.37 billion) in 2020. Spain is second on the list, with 90.44 million kilograms, worth a value of € 119.52 million (MAD 1.28 billion).
Morocco is the third largest tomato supplier to the UK. The North African country sold 83.15 million kilograms of tomatoes to the UK for a value of € 104.32 million (MAD 1.12 billion). In 2021, Hortoinfo predicts Morocco will surpass Spain as a supplier of tomatoes to the UK, due to the commercial agreements Rabat and London signed in recent years to boost trade. Ahead of Brexit, Morocco and the UK signed the Association Agreement on October 26, 2019. The agreement, which entered into force on January 1, 2021, seeks to preserve bilateral partnerships between the two countries after Brexit.
The Chairman of the political party, Time, Robert Kimbell, believes that Morocco could surpass Spain to become the UK’s biggest supplier of fresh produce. Earlier this month, Kimbell explained that the UK buys approximately 6% of Morocco’s global exports. “Morocco’s attractiveness as a UK source of high-quality olive oil, superb fresh fruit, and of top-class vegetables is becoming unsurpassed,” he said.