Spain’s berry sector calls for help from unemployed
With the Spanish strawberry season in full swing, the sector is experiencing a dire shortage of manpower. Huelva’s berry sector alone traditionally hires around 15,000 seasonal labourers from Morocco, but with borders closed, only around 40% have arrived. This is likely to have a detrimental effect on the forthcoming berry and cherry campaigns.
This is leading the sector to call on the Spanish government to seek out a solution to salvage the campaign and maintain fresh fruit supplies to the country and abroad. The CC.OO., UPA, and other farming organisations are welcoming workers who have lost their jobs in this crisis to work in the berry harvest. UPA Huelva has launched a platform on its website to put job seekers and farmers in contact. Meanwhile, the CC.OO has asked the Secretary of State for Migration to contract workers in other countries.