Hard times are hitting the Mediterranean strawberries due to the COVID-19 spread

No one can deny the significant increase in demand emerging due to the coronavirus crisis for certain lines of fresh fruits and vegetables, but it seems to be having a terrible impact on strawberry producers as consumers are turning in these exceptional circumstances to less perishable products.
As a result, European producers are reporting a dramatic drop in demand for strawberries which occurs at the worst possible time - coinciding as it does with the start of the peak season in the Mediterranean region and it is not a different scenario for the Moroccan markets. In fact, in addition to seeing exports to the EU drop, on local markets, the demand for strawberries and raspberries has decreased significantly.
According to red fruits suppliers, in times of crisis, the consumer takes refuge in safe values: oranges, tangerines, bananas, apples. The rest of the products sell less. For instance, In Dakhla and Marrakech, the first melon harvests have started, but it doesn't sell even on the local market.