Immigration restrictions result in loss of seasonal laborers

New restrictions in immigration numbers and the falling value of the pound are both contributing to a lack of foreign fruit pickers.  Leading farmers have forewarned that the amount of seasonal summer laborers will decrease this summer as a result of these restrictions and consequently millions of pounds worth of Britain's fruit and vegetables are expected go unpicked and rot.

The National Farmers Union stated that last year the industry saw a reduction in pickers and as a result approximately £20 million of crop rotted and was wasted across the UK.  The main reason for this decreasing number of foreign pickers is due to Government decision to reduce immigration figures. The Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (Saws) permitted low skilled workers from non EU countries such as Ukraine and Belarus to work in Britain. However since Government policy changes, workers from EU countries only are allowed to work seasonally in this country. It is expected that these contributing restrictions will result in a shortage of manual laborers, up to 25% less than the required amount.  The Saws reduction means that the number of available workers will decrease from 25,000 to 16,250 this summer.

The UK's horticulture industry is worth £3.6 billion, and May is the month for harvest. It has been predicted that British growers will face a problematic laborer shortage. Pickers from European counties pick 50,000 tonnes of fruit annually and this year the mass number of fruit and vegetables that are cultivated for the UK's market are under threat of going to waste.

It has been predicted that Scotland could see a £5.2 million loss this year, which accounts for one fifth of their annual crop. Gary Bruce is the manager of Arbroath's major fruit farm stated that "If we don't get people by the end of May, it's a major problem. If the fruit isn't picked by 3 June it will be wasted." Another fruit farmer from Herefordshire has stated that if foreign pickers are no available then he could face a £200,000 loss of strawberries.

Farmers have requested that Saw allow 5,000 workers from non EU countries to come and work to resolve the problem, this request was rejected last week. The problem of decreasing immigration seems to be an ongoing issue for British farmers and the horticulture industry.

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