Farmers warn of Brexit shortages

abroad if they were unable to recruit from the EU as there are not enough local workers to carry out the tasks.

Neil McCorkindale, chairman of the Scottish Beef Association, said 60% of people working in the abattoir sector, crucial to ensuring meat is of a high standard, are migrants.

Asked if there would be a shortage of meat on the shelves if immigration was curbed, he added: “I wouldn’t want to overplay it but there would bound to be an immediate impact.” SNP Brexit spokesman Stephen Gethins said: “These reports are deeply worrying for the businesses and their employees. “These are thriving concerns and for them to be facing these

James Porter has said companies may move abroad if they can’t recruit East European workers. difficulties because of a mindless Tory approach to leaving the EU is unbelievable.”

A UK Government spokesperson said: “The Government places great value on the food and farming industries.

“Until we have left the EU, the UK will remain a member with all of the rights and obligations that memb e r s h i p en t a i l s , and employers in the agricultural and food processing sectors are free to continue to recruit EU workers to meet their labour needs.

“Labour market statistics show in the period to March 2017 there were 171,000 more EU workers in the UK workforce than the year before.

“We are determined to get the best deal for the UK in our negotiations to leave the EU, not least for our world-leading food and farming industry.”