Spotlight on berry picking

The potential problems facing soft fruit farmers have been much in the news of late. Scotland’s fruit industry has been one of the great farming success stories.

Over the last 20 years, polytunnel technology has led to a six or nine-month picking season, generating more than £100 million for the Scottish economy.

However, possible restrictions on the movement of labour following Brexit, have led many farm owners and workers to ask: “Who will pick the berries?”

For many, summers spent at “the berries” were hard work, but generally great fun, providing an opportunity to earn some money over the school summer holidays.

Blairgowrie used to be known as Berry Town and it could be said that Scotland’s soft fruit industry was born in the early 1900s with Angus and Fife also becoming key growing areas.

Do you have memories of berry picking in the holidays? If so, please get in touch by email at craigie@thecourier.co.uk

This photograph shows a group of berry pickers at Carse of Gowrie at the end of the day as they load their berries on to be weighed. The photograph was taken in June 1990.

A line of workers sort raspberries into different tins based on their quality. These ladies were working for food company R&W Scott in 1969.

These berry pickers were busy at the raspberry crop at Smedley’s, Balgillo Estates, Broughty Ferry. The photograph is dated July 1972.