Spanish Berry Farmers Face Pressure as Moroccan Exports Surge

"The market has been saturated with supply for about two weeks and prices have fallen to low levels and we are very concerned about the raspberry campaign. This happened last year and is accentuated this year. Morocco is increasing its export volumes of raspberries and blueberries and selling them at very aggressive prices," said Rafael Dominguez, director of Freshuelva, the association of strawberry producers and traders in the region, to FreshPlaza.

Spanish farmers are struggling to cope with Moroccan competition. "We cannot enter into a price war with this country, because we could not win it due to the difference in production costs and, above all, labor costs," added Rafael Dominguez, also stating that the raspberry production this season in Huelva, Spain and Morocco has reached "its highest level ever" thanks to the warm and sunny Mediterranean weather.