Immigration move will devastate UK farming

Sir, – I was rather bemused to read Derek Farmer’s bizarre letter (policy will end migration worker exploitation, Courier, February 21).

Sadly despite Mr Farmer’s obvious and complete ignorance of the facts around migrant workers, he clearly didn’t feel this should prevent him from regaling us about how we should run our businesses.

Mr Farmer has clearly benefited from working abroad, so it seems somewhat self centred to me that he feels nobody else should.

The simple fact is that without seasonal and permanent migrant workers, there would not be any soft fruit or vegetable production in the UK.

The length of the season is much longer than when Mr Farmer was a child, and there is far more of it, which means it is impossible to rely on students and mums with kids to harvest and pack the fruit and veg.

There are also issues of health and safety and underage working regulations with employing school kids.

It is worth noting however that many local people and support businesses are employed in full-time work in soft fruit and veg, and their jobs are reliant on help from our friends from abroad.

Migrant labour is not cheap, and if we could automate production, we would have done.

Average wages are in fact above the minimum wage, which incidentally is rising 6.2% in April this year to £8.72, plus overtime, pension and holiday pay.

All workers pay Income Tax and National Insurance from day one, and because they are young and relatively healthy, they are making a massive net financial contribution not only to the local economy, but also to the National Health Service.

Rural unemployment is very low and, contrary to popular opinion, the work is in fact very skilled.

The Home Office’s proposed immigration policy will be devastating to British agriculture unless it is modified.

Farming businesses need a firm commitment now to increase the seasonal worker scheme for the whole of the UK from 10,000 this year to 70,000 next year after freedom of movement ends. The points based system will exclude any migrant workers coming to work full-time in fruit and veg and needs to be changed.

If the Home Office are unwilling to change course, the Scottish Government proposals for a Scottish “visa” are very reasonable and sensible, and they should be given serious consideration.

James Porter. NFU Scotland Horticulture Chair, East Scryne, Carnoustie