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Morocco restricts tomato exports to manage high domestic prices. Smart move?

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The head of Morocco’s main fruit and vegetable exporters’ group has revealed the country restricted tomato exports since late February with a total ban in place from last week until Thursday to lower domestic prices.

The head of the Federation of Moroccan Exporters of Fruits and Vegetables (FIFEL), told journalists that the Agriculture Ministry had agreed on a daily quota of tomato exports last month before stopping all exports from March 18 to 22, with a lower quota of 700 tonnes a day from Thursday.

Higher-priced produce such as cherry tomatoes, which represent more than half of the North African country’s tomato exports, are not included in the restrictions, Aderdour said.

He further revealed that exporters were given a quota of 1000 tonnes but that was less than the usual 1500 tonnes they used to have.

“We are failing to honour our long-term supply contracts,” one trader said, noting that most contracts with British clients are signed a year ahead at fixed prices.

“The credibility of Morocco as a stable tomatoes supplier to both the EU and UK market is at stake,” he added.

The ministry is yet to respond to Reuters calls for comment and did not immediately answer a request for comment.

Morocco’s central bank recently increased its benchmark interest rate for the third time in a row by 50 basis points to 3% as part of measures to fight inflation.

Food inflation jumped to 20.1% last month, bringing general inflation to 10.1%, a level unmatched since the 1980s.

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Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed meets Putin at BRICS, eyes stronger ties

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Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who is representing a member country at his first BRIC summit, had a bilateral discussion with Russian President, Vladimir Putin.

 

 

The Russian leader praised the countries’ closeness and referred to Ethiopia’s joining the organisation as a “important step.” They have had diplomatic relations for over a century.

 

“Our countries’ positions on most global and regional issues are often quite close. We appreciate that Ethiopia supports most Russian initiatives in the United Nations,” Putin said.

 

 

Abiy Ahmed urged robust intra-BRICS investment and trade in strategic areas during his speech at the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan.

 

Under his leadership, his nation’s economy ranked third in Sub-Saharan Africa.

 

Earlier this year, Ethiopia officially became a member of the rising economies group. It is among the most recent additions to the block.

 

 

By elevating the voices of the Global South, the BRICS nations have demonstrated their will to realise their vision of a multipolar world. The bloc has even been hailed by some members as a counterweight to the world order dominated by the West.

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Sudanese army reports first RSF commander defection

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Sudan’s army announced on Sunday that a Rapid Support Forces commander had defected with some of his troops, the first senior person to do so since the war began more than 18 months ago.

Army supporters uploaded pictures of Abuagla Keikal online, claiming to be of the former army officer who defected and became the top commander of the RSF in the southeast state of El Gezira.

Later, the RSF released a statement in which it claimed that Keikal had changed sides following a “deal” and that the soldiers who defected with him in the eastern state of El Gezira had suffered losses.

The army, which has recently reported gains against the RSF in parts of the capital, said Keikal had decided to make the move because of the RSF’s “destructive agenda”.

Keikal, a military intelligence official before the war, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The RSF has taken over large swathes of Sudan in a fight with the army that the UN believes has resulted in one of the greatest humanitarian disasters in history.

Over ten million people have been displaced by the war, which has also caused severe starvation in some areas of the nation and attracted international powers who have provided material support to both sides.

It started in April 2023 when rivalries between the army and the RSF, vying for influence before a transition to civilian rule supported by the international community, became apparent.

After pulling off a coup in 2021, two years after veteran tyrant Omar al-Bashir was overthrown by a popular revolt, the army and the RSF had previously shared power.

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