French strawberry producers have protested the block of Moroccan seasonal workers to get to the country for the harvest season. The French consulate in Casablanca blocked the visas, say the farmers. The Sologne region alone expects 400 foreign seasonal workers this season. Hundreds of Moroccans were supposed to arrive in the region on April 20, but they have not received their visas.
One strawberry producer stated: “This shortage of personnel can be fatal for my company as for many others.” For the past four years, he hired foreign seasonal workers from Morocco and Bulgaria to collect by hand the harvest of his 8 hectares of land. For this season, he has hired 45 seasonal workers.
With Moroccan workers unable to reach his farm, his harvest is at risk. Strawberry harvest is time-sensitive, he said, since it should be picked in no more than seven weeks.
Source: moroccoworldnews.com