Dutch growers expand tomato production with Moroccan partners

MOROCCO – Dutch tomato growers The Valley and Schenkeveld have teamed up with Moroccan partner Ceres SRL to start a large-scale tomato cultivation project in Agadir, Morocco.

The joint venture, called Callystar, already spans 24 hectares of newly planted greenhouses and focuses on producing snack tomatoes for export.

The project reflects a growing collaboration between Dutch horticultural businesses and local Moroccan growers, combining knowledge, technology, and market reach.

Last week, the Dutch ambassador to Morocco, Dirk Jan Nieuwenhuis, visited the site to mark the official start of operations.

“Horticulture is a key sector for both the Netherlands and Morocco,” said Ambassador Nieuwenhuis during the visit. The event was organized by Agricultural Counsellor Patricia de Vries and local coordinator Yassine Errachti, with several companies showing how Dutch innovation is shaping modern farming in Morocco.

Callystar is led by General Manager Abdelghani Meghras and Project Manager Jop Hendriks, who oversee both daily operations and long-term planning.

The company is also a member of Growers United, which will manage sales and marketing for the tomatoes.

“This is a proud moment,” said Richard Hartensveld of Callystar. “We had the privilege of welcoming Ambassador Dirk Jan Nieuwenhuis to the first planted greenhouses. This project underlines the strength of collaboration between Dutch and Moroccan parties.”

The greenhouses, located near Agadir, are built with modern systems that help growers meet high standards for quality, sustainability, and efficiency.

Callystar and other Dutch-backed farms in Morocco are using new systems that improve growing conditions and cut resource use.

Instead of basic plastic greenhouses, the new ones are semi-closed and climate-controlled, allowing growers to better manage temperature, humidity, and air flow. This boosts the size and quality of the tomatoes, especially during cooler months.

Growers also rely on precise irrigation tools such as soil moisture sensors and automated nutrient delivery. These upgrades have helped reduce water use by up to 30 percent while increasing yields by about 25 percent when using substrate-based systems.

“Companies like Fresh Grow Morocco, Kamps Beans Morocco (KBM), Agro Care, and Quality Bean Morocco show how Dutch knowledge can succeed in different parts of Morocco,” said de Vries.

Sustainability is also part of the work. Some farms in dry areas like Chtouka now use desalinated water, and several are adding solar-powered pumps and smart irrigation tools to limit their environmental impact.

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