ONSSA denies suspension of cherry tomato exports to the EU

Wednesday 17 September 2025 - 15:30

By: Sahili Aya

ONSSA denies suspension of cherry tomato exports to the EU

On September 10, 2025, Dutch health authorities issued an alert through the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASSF), numbered 2025.6942, regarding the presence of metals in a batch of cherry tomatoes exported from Morocco. The batch in question was immediately removed from the market as per the usual protocol for non-compliant products.

In the days following the alert, several media outlets reported that the European Union had suspended the import of Moroccan tomatoes, sparking widespread concern. However, this claim has been firmly denied by a source within the National Office for Food Safety (ONSSA), as reported by the specialized platform FreshPlaza. The ONSSA clarified, "It is true that a batch of cherry tomatoes from Morocco was intercepted in the Netherlands. The local authorities suspended this specific batch, which is a normal procedure. However, claiming a general suspension of Moroccan tomato imports to the EU is completely false."

The ONSSA further emphasized that RASSF alerts related to Moroccan products are extremely rare. In 2025, out of 478 alerts concerning fresh produce in the EU, only 9 were related to Moroccan products, accounting for just 1.8% of the total. "This figure clearly reflects the compliance of Moroccan products with international food safety standards," the ONSSA source added.

For their part, producers are also taking action to correct the misinformation. A representative from the Moroccan tomato exporters clarified that the current season is a low period, naturally reducing the volume of shipments. "That doesn’t stop the shipments from continuing. Just yesterday, a batch of cherry tomatoes was successfully delivered to the European market," he confirmed to FreshPlaza.

This incident underscores the importance of distinguishing isolated cases from broader trends. The September 10 episode does not call into question the overall quality of Moroccan exports or their access to European markets.

The ONSSA concluded by urging caution regarding hasty media interpretations and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring strict compliance with food safety standards, both for domestic consumption and exports.