Farmers say worker shortage is hitting Jersey Royal harvest

Farmers are warning of a shortage of Jersey Royal potatoes this year following poor weather and a lack of foreign workers.

Romanians were brought to the island when Polish workers reportedly abandoned the fields in the wake of the Brexit vote.

But Charlie Gallichan said just 15 of 61 Romanians given jobs on his farm were still with him: “Some said they found it was too cold, but in fairness the weather has been miserable, and farmers are behind with the potato crop because of rain.”

Jersey Farmers’ Union said Brexit, an improving economy in Poland and better paid jobs meant fewer workers chose to come to Britain. The union wants immigration laws to be relaxed to allow farmers to find labour outside the EU.