Strawberry output on the rise, prices collapse

Strawberry production scored this year a record growth of 70%, leading to a price crash, wholesale prices being below 1 DH per kilo.

The producers impute the situation to the increase by 40% of the strawberries cultivated area (more than 1,590 ha), and to the drought which affected the quality of the produce, a fact that reduced the exported volume.

Some exporters have completely ceased all activity while others have halved their exports. The European market which take in the largest part of Moroccan strawberries is on the other hand dumped by Spanish strawberries.

Quick freezing facilities do not have the capacity to process all the production, not to mention the huge stock of quick frozen strawberries at the world level.

To cope with the situation, the producers decided to set up an association that will supervise the sector activities, deal with industrialists and exporters, monitor cultivated areas and supply seedlings and fertilizers.

The association constituent assembly will be held on April 25.

Meanwhile, producers are calling on the government to grant them assistance and to negotiate with the European Union the possibility to extend the export deadline beyond April and to exempt the Moroccan strawberry from some taxes so that it can be quick frozen in Europe.

They have also called on banks to grant easy reimbursement terms to most-severely-affected producers and stressed the need for tougher quality control to preserve the Morocco label.

Strawberry cultivation activity provides 16 million working days per year, or 6,400 jobs.