Supermarkets are facing a short term squeeze in strawberry supplies after storms and flooding damaged crops in southern Spain and northern Morocco, two key winter sources for the UK market, industry figures said.
Nicholas Marston of British Berry Growers said suppliers to supermarkets were already reporting shortages that could worsen in the next few days, adding the UK consumes about 1,200 tonnes of strawberries a week at this time of year.
In Spain, the grower association Freshuelva has estimated that about half of early berry output in Huelva has been lost after successive storms, including Storm Leonardo, which brought extreme rainfall and field flooding.
In Morocco, sector representatives told trade media that flooding and wind damage hit soft fruit farms, with reports that more than 30 percent of farms were affected in some areas.
UK retailers say they can pivot to alternative origins, including Egypt, but importers warn the switch is constrained by season timing and Ramadan labour patterns.
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