Tomato War between Spain and France

A war of words broke out between France and Spain over the quality of tomatoes, with Pedro Sánchez, the Spanish Prime Minister, rushing to declare that “our tomatoes taste much better.”

Last week, French politicians, under pressure from farmers’ protests, expressed their solidarity with protesters who argued that their Spanish counterparts were enjoying an “advantage” because they were able to produce tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables more cheaply (citing more environmentally friendly demands).

Last Sunday, France’s new prime minister, Gabriel Attal, supported the argument during a visit to the farm, saying “it is unfair for ‘neighboring countries’ to use insecticides that are banned in France.” The politician called the import of fruits and vegetables “hypocrisy,” the cultivation of which “destroys the ecosystem.”

However, after the Brussels summit, his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sánchez rejected Attal’s objections, saying that Spanish tomatoes are in demand because they are of excellent quality. “The success of our products is the result of the enormous innovative steps taken by the agricultural sector, as well as the hard work of Spanish workers,” he said.

The politician also directed his anger at former presidential candidate and ex-French environment minister Ségolène Royal, who claimed in statements on the BFMTV network that “so-called Spanish organic tomatoes are inedible.” Sanchez listed several varieties of “delicious” tomatoes produced in Spain, saying that he no doubt – they are the best in the world. And he invited Royal to come to his country to try them. “At the same time he will find out why they are incomparable,” he said sarcastically.

Spain, sometimes called the “garden of Europe”, is a leading exporter of fruits and vegetables. The country’s agricultural sector, one of the largest suppliers of organic products in Europe, has reportedly faced difficulties in recent years, mainly due to drought.

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