Moroccan Farmworkers in Spain Face COVID-19 Risks Amid Harvest Season

For the upcoming potato, olive or grape harvests, the agricultural sector intends to take extreme health safety measures, such as "carrying out the necessary tests to avoid any contamination," explained Juan José Álvarez, director of Asaja.

But this measure could not be effective, warn the farmers who indicate that seasonal workers welcome migrants looking for work at their homes. For Eduardo López, head of labor relations at the Coordinator of Farmers’ and Livestock Breeders’ Organizations (COAG), this problem must be controlled by the government "because these migrants, living without minimal health conditions, will continue to hide from the authorities, including health authorities."

During this Covid-19 crisis period, "the situation is more serious," notes Irène Quirante, integration technician at the Moroccan Association.

To remedy this, public health experts recommend a stronger presence of epidemiologists in the field to inspect farms in order to detect any cases, but above all to "advise workers and employers on the right gestures to adopt."

They also propose to grant a subsidy to people who test positive in order to prevent them from going to the farms and preserve the health of other workers, residents of the area and the populations of the country. The measure will also help avoid outbreaks of contamination on farms, which could lead to their temporary closure.