Belgian Shrimp Shortage: Pandemic Disrupts Moroccan Peeling Industry

The food sector has also taken a hit with the shutdown of fishing activities at sea. According to the director of the Flemish fish market, Tom Premereur, quoted by the Flemish press, the shrimp caught in the North Sea are sent to Morocco to be peeled in specialized units whose activity is now slowed down or stopped due to the health crisis related to Covid-19.

Not surprisingly, a shortage of peeled shrimp is observed in supermarkets, he laments. This exotic crustacean, an ingredient in Belgian cuisine, is served in salads, croquettes or to accompany seafood platters.

To recall, shrimp is consumed at a rate of 95% per household in the flat country.