Spanish Raspberry Production Shifts to Morocco as Acreage Declines

The manager in charge of raspberry trade at the Plusberries group says that the raspberry acreage in Spain has again decreased, this time by 8%. "There are shifts in production. Morocco and Portugal are more than offsetting the decrease in Spain’s acreage. We too are following this trend. We still have 60 hectares of raspberries in Spain," explains Fresh Plaza Jan van Bergeijk, stressing that there is currently a shortage situation and that he expects it to last until the end of February.

"We have also been growing them in Morocco for four years. We have 150 hectares there. Moroccan cultivation is very interesting in winter. In Spain, the winters are colder and more humid. Moroccan production therefore offers more continuity. But the Covid-19 rules make it difficult to go there at the moment," adds this professional who has lived in the Iberian peninsula for 30 years.

This year, Plusberries is interested in new raspberry varieties: Remotion and Remosense. "The first year gave good results in terms of both production and flavor," explains Jan van Bergeijk.