Many agricultural laborers are now moving toward the berry industry, which is seen as more profitable. Farmers and other professionals are retraining to work with crops like blueberries and raspberries. Khalid Saïdi, president of the Moroccan Association of Fruit and Vegetable Producers and Exporters (APEFEL), explained, “Being a producer in the tomato industry in Morocco has become a risky profession. Many people are retraining, and that's a reality.”
In regions like Souss-Massa, where water is extremely limited, tomato farming has become even more complicated. Saïdi noted that more growers are turning to berries, but finding enough labor, especially during the harvest, is becoming increasingly difficult. The lack of water and available workers is creating serious challenges for producers.
The labor gap has been partly filled thanks to the presence of sub-Saharan workers in the Agadir region. Although the Moroccan government has introduced some support measures, including subsidies ranging from $4,000 to $7,000 per hectare, these only cover a small fraction of overall production expenses.
Still, Morocco’s tomato exports remain strong. “Exporting half of the production is what keeps growers going,” Saïdi said. These exports help offset poor local market conditions, as international sales cover production costs. Morocco now ranks as the third-largest tomato exporter in the world, with 621,000 tons shipped during the 2024–2025 season, mostly to European markets. According to HortoInfo, the export value has surpassed $1.5 billion.
With this performance, Morocco has overtaken Spain and solidified its place as a leading player in the global tomato trade.