Morocco opens anti-dumping probe into Spanish tomato sauce

Morocco has opened an anti-dumping investigation into tomato sauce imports from Spain, after a complaint filed by three Moroccan companies that together account for 90% of national production of the product, according to Hespress, citing a public notice from the ministry dated 11 November.

Who filed the complaint, and why?

The request was submitted by the Moroccan Federation of Food-Processing Industries (FICOPAM), on behalf of Vinaigrerie Moutarderie du Maroc, based in Casablanca, and the companies Agro Juice Processing and Les Conserveries de Meknès, both based in Meknes. Together, the three companies represent 90% of national tomato sauce production, meeting the legal threshold of domestic-industry representation required to open an official investigation.

The three companies allege that Spanish tomato sauce imports are being sold on the Moroccan market at low prices that threaten "serious injury" to domestic production, amid a rising flow of these products since 2023.

How did the ministry calculate the dumping margin?

Ministry officials compared average retail prices in large retail outlets in Morocco and Spain for 2025, excluding duties, adjusted to estimate ex-factory prices. The comparison found a dumping margin above 2%, the legal minimum threshold for opening an official investigation, along with indications of a real threat to the position of local producers.

What does the investigation cover?

The investigation covers ready-to-use tomato sauces, excluding ketchup, under customs tariff heading 21.03.20.00.00, based on Law No. 15.09 on trade defence measures, specifically Article 17. The ministry set the period from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 as the reference period for dumping, while extending the import-trend analysis period back to 1 January 2023.

What happens next for exporters and importers?

Spanish producers and exporters, as well as Moroccan importers and producers wishing to take part, must identify themselves and submit the information needed for sampling by 18 December at 3 p.m., while other interested parties have 30 days from the opening of the investigation to submit comments. Any party that refuses to cooperate or obstructs the investigation risks having conclusions based on the "best available information," which could work against it.

The investigation formally began on 12 November and is expected to conclude within a maximum of 12 months, extendable to 18 months in complex cases. The ministry has not imposed any additional duties on the Spanish imports concerned so far, as its current decision is limited to opening the investigation, with the possibility of provisional or final measures depending on the findings.

This investigation comes as the Moroccan government pays growing attention to the tomato supply chain, after it recently suspended exports of tomatoes and other essential products to secure domestic supply.