UK needs to end 'ridiculous' tariffs on tomatoes from Morocco, MPs are told

Lord Hannan has called for taxes on Moroccan tomatoes to be lifted

Prominent Brexiteer and former MEP, Daniel Hannan, has told Parliament that the UK must abolish the “ridiculous” taxes on Moroccan tomatoes – a hangover from EU legislation.

The Conservative Lord Hannan of Kingsclere called for this trade barrier to be lifted, noting that Moroccan tomatoes are not in competition with home-grown ones due to the difference in growing seasons. In his address to the House of Lords, he reminisced: “Some will remember the great tomato shortage of last year, when our supermarket shelves were bereft of those crimson globes.”

“What you may not know is that we were still imposing tariffs and quotas on imports of tomatoes from our largest source, which is the kingdom of Morocco. Quotas and tariffs we inherited from the EU that are designed to protect Spanish growers and serve no function, even from a protectionist point of view, here because Moroccan tomatoes are counter-seasonal to our own.”

Then added: “Will the minister give us some hope that we’re going to end these ridiculous restrictions, not as a favour to our allies in Morocco although they are good friends and old allies but as a favour to ourselves, which may incidentally benefit our friends in the kingdom of Morocco? “.

In response, Foreign Office minister Lord Benyon admitted frustration with the progress of the issue, asserting: “I was in Morocco last year and had my ear very effectively bent by them on this issue.” Although claiming he believed untill Wednesday night the issue had been solved.

He said: “I thought we’d resolved it, and then I heard last night from the trade minister that there is still some things to be ironed out which, I confess, has frustrated me. We need to resolve this. Morocco is a key partner with us and they can provide very good quality on our shelves that does not conflict with UK farmers.”