Rabat – French strawberry producers have protested the block of Moroccan seasonal workers to get to the country for the harvest season. The French consulate in Casablanca blocked the visas, say the farmers.
Sologne region alone expects 400 foreign seasonal workers this season. Hundreds of Moroccans were supposed to arrive in the region on April 20, but they have not received their visas.
“This shortage of personnel can be fatal for my company as for many others,” James Le Boucher, strawberry producer in Controis-en-Sologne told France 3.
For the past four years, James hired foreign seasonal workers from Morocco and Bulgaria to collect by hand the harvest of his 8 hectares of land. For this season, he has hired 45 seasonal workers.
“For 4 years, I have been calling on two female Moroccan team leaders who supervise the staff in the greenhouses, they know our working methods and especially that they produce the same fruits in their country, Moroccans know how to work,” he added.
With Moroccan workers unable to reach his farm, James’ harvest is at risk. Strawberry harvest is time-sensitive, he said, since it should be picked in no more than 7 weeks.
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Another farmer with more than 20 hectares of strawberry crops explained that half of his harvest is at risk of spoiling.
Upset about the situation, the French farmers contacted France’s Interior Ministry and Foreign Affairs Ministry to understand the origin of the delay in issuing visas for these essential workers.
The ministries assured the farmers that they will work to meet the demands of the agricultural sector during this spring season.
Every January, French farmers use online applications to recruit foreign seasonal agricultural workers. The applications are then sent to the French consulate in Casablanca and the French Office for Immigration and Integration. A visa is then issued for the workers to enter French territories.
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