Labour shortages see fruit farms miss out on £625,000

A group of farms in Fife and Tayside missed out on £625,000 last year because of labour shortages associated with Brexit, say growers.

Angus Growers, which represents 19 sites in the area, blamed the financial hit on EU migrants being put off coming to these shores.

Farmers are now looking at paying for flights to attract workers.

About £400,000 of revenue was lost at the Angus Growers farms in 2017 because there was not enough staff to pick the available fruit, while delays meant produce had to be downgraded.

In total, 85 tonnes of fruit was unpicked or downgraded.

On top of that, bosses at the farms, the vast majority of which are based in Perthshire, Angus and Fife, had to pay £225,000 extra in overtime to make up for having so few workers.

William Houston, the general manager of Angus Growers, said the weak pound, improving economies in Eastern Europe and continentwide labour shortages are contributing to the recruitment struggle.

He said: “It gets worse every year and it gets more difficult to employ people every year and we are looking at incentives to encourage them to come this year.”

“Some (farmers) are looking at paying the transport costs – the flights, the buses – to get them over here and subsidising the accommodation a bit more when they are here.”

Mr Houston called on the UK Government to come up with a scheme quickly that allows farms to bring in non-EU migrants.

Michael Russell, the Brexit Secretary, said the uncertainty over workers is the “worst issue” growers are facing.

Speaking at the launch of his government’s latest Scotland’s Place in Europe paper, he said: “There are options for those (EU) workers that are better options, both in terms of feeling more welcome and secure and also in terms of currency.

“As a result people do not come.”

Michael Russell says workforce uncertainty is the worst issue facing growers.