The Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, Luis Planas, affirmed that the participation of Spain as a guest country of honor in the 16th edition of the International Agricultural Exhibition in Morocco (SIAM) reflects the excellent relations uniting the two Kingdoms.
In an interview with Maghreb Arab Presse (MAP) on the sidelines of his visit to Morocco to take part in the exhibition, Planas noted that Spain’s participation this year confirms the distinguished level of relations uniting the two neighboring countries in various areas.
“The meetings that I will hold, on this occasion, with my Moroccan counterpart, Mohammed Sadiki, are part of this dynamic that the cooperative relations between the two countries are witnessing”, indicated the Spanish official, reiterating the two countries’ willingness to further consolidate cooperation, particularly in the field of agri-food.
In this regard, Planas recalled that SIAM will bring together ministers of agriculture from countries on both shores of the Mediterranean to discuss important subjects such as research and development, climate change, innovation, and the integration of new technologies in the agricultural sector.
SIAM is also an opportunity for countries in the Mediterranean basin to reflect on the common problems and challenges they face, such as climate change, and the fight against new diseases, and examine ways to address them, explained Planas.
Speaking about relations between Morocco and Spain, the minister stated that bilateral cooperation is witnessing constant progress as evidenced by the significant increase in trade which has increased by 40% over the last five years, making his country Morocco’s first trading partner.
In the same context, Planas noted the remarkable development of agri-food exports from Spain to Morocco, reaching €1.155 billion.
In 2023, Spanish exports of agri-food and seafood products to Morocco constituted 1.6% of total Spanish exports, while those from Morocco to Spain represented 3.9% of Spanish imports, he revealed, highlighting Spain’s strong presence in Morocco in terms of investments, as evidenced by the participation of 35 Iberian companies in SIAM 2024.
“We are Morocco’s leading trading partner and we can further improve our trade and investments by investing in innovative agricultural projects through a more intelligent use of resources, particularly water,” concluded Planas.
