Shortage of berries in Europe: Morocco pointed the finger

The berry market is going through a major turbulent period. Morocco, Spain and Portugal have accumulated significant production difficulties in recent months, disrupting the spring supply. According to AGF.nl, these disruptions are particularly affecting raspberries, whose quality has been considered inconsistent since last December.

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This situation is generating growing frustration among distributors and consumers. The scarcity of products is mechanically leading to a surge in prices, even as the quality level declines. Professionals, such as pastry chefs, find themselves forced to buy at high prices to maintain their menus.

Moroccan and Mediterranean origins are bearing the full brunt of the consequences of a changing climate. This lack of regularity makes the supply of traditional seasonal products complex. The sector is no longer able to guarantee the permanent availability that was once taken for granted. This instability now forces merchants to justify high prices for volumes that remain very limited.

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In response, buyers are massively turning to local greenhouse productions. In Belgium and the Netherlands, the first harvests of strawberries and raspberries are gradually replacing the failing imports from the southern Mediterranean. Although these new volumes of early crops are expensive, they meet a reliability expectation that Morocco and Southern Europe are currently struggling to meet.