Seasonal workers scheme needs tested, minister told
A new Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS) should be trialled now in order to have a workable scheme on the ground for next year.
That was the message given by Scottish growers to the UK’S Immigration minister, Caroline Nokes when she visited a fruit farm in Angus this week.
During the secretary’s visit to his farm, NFUS horticultural committee chairman, James Porter, said that waiting on a report by the Migration Advisory Committee which would not be completed until autumn would be too late to have a scheme in place for spring 2019.
He said that despite repeated warnings from the industry, tonnes of fruit had been left to rot on Scottish berry farms this year because of problems sourcing pickers. And although“all the right noises”had been made by de fr a ministers they had made it plain that such a scheme is not in their gift.
“We have repeatedly raised our concerns regarding the availability of seasonal and permanent labour in the agriculture and food processing industries with the Home Office,” said Porter.
“There has been recognition by many politicians and several committees at Westminster of the issue but little action to date,” he said, adding that it had
been useful to meet face to face with the immigration minister.
With the Irish government already trialling a scheme to address concerns about labour shortages – a similar trial in Scotland would allow its success or otherwise to be assessed and a full scheme made available next year.
“Such a scheme is needed urgently. Throughout this current season, we have had evidence from several growers that large amounts of crop have been lost due to a lack of labour available to pick. Losses for businesses that have been impacted are running in to the hundreds of thousands of pounds. “
Porter said that while the soft fruit season was now well through, it was anticipated that the problem will continue, if not worsen:
“We have warned the government
that vegetable and blueberry growers will be short of workers again in the autumn, which will again lead to avoidable crop loss of much needed home-grown fruit and veg. This could be addressed by immediately allowing a trial scheme for workers from outside the EU.”
Porter said despite being a relatively small part of Scots agriculture, the soft fruit and field vegetable industries were extremely productive – generating more than 10 per cent of Scotland’s annual agricultural output.
“It is simply unacceptable that labour shortages are now threatening the very existence of Scotland’s horticultural industry, which should otherwise be a Scottish agricultural success story with growers keen to invest, innovate and grow their businesses.”