On Friday, farmers conducted labeling actions for Moroccan tomatoes in supermarkets located in Agen, Rennes, Brest, and Avignon to protest against the “unfair competition” of these products that are “over-represented on the shelves.” Tomato producers are criticizing the situation, which they believe is largely favored by 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 denouncing 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. Farmers feel that the origin of cherry tomatoes is not clearly indicated on the packaging, which is why they took this action. Jonas Holaar, a tomato producer from Lot-et-Garonne, highlighted the unfair competition faced by French producers due to the low cost of Moroccan labor and the use of banned pesticides in Morocco.
In Brest, about twenty farmers conducted a similar action to bring attention to the issue, while 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.