They have already saved the clementine harvest in Corsica.
Moroccan seasonal workers could now provide invaluable help to farmers in Bouches-du-Rhône and Vaucluse.
About 300 seasonal workers from Morocco will be transported in December to Bouches-du-Rhône and Vaucluse, at the request of farmers who lack labor due to the closure of Europe's external borders, we learned this Wednesday from the authorities.
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The exact date has not yet been decided, but a dedicated flight "on behalf of operators of the Bouches-du-Rhône and Vaucluse departments", which will take place "during the month of December", is being prepared and "will have to carry out of around 300 seasonal workers, ”explained Didier Leschi, director of the French Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII), which oversees the operation.
Varied missions
“These are seasonal workers for market gardening and horticulture: salads, fruits and green vegetables in particular.
It is not only a question of collecting, but also of pruning, preparation of the fields for cultivation, etc.
“, Detailed Didier Leschi, specifying that the cost of transport would be borne by employers.
As in October, when the OFII organized an airlift to allow the arrival of more than 900 Moroccan seasonal workers for the clementine harvests in Corsica, or later the arrival of 36 seasonal workers to Lot-et-Garonne, a strict health protocol will be put in place.
Moroccan workers must therefore be tested for Covid-19 on departure and arrival, then seven days after their arrival.
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The coronavirus pandemic and the closure of the European Union's external borders had put a brake on the arrival of seasonal workers, in particular those from the Maghreb who represent an essential part of seasonal workers in France.
