Michael Gove has been called upon to make sure farmers can access a reliable workforce after Brexit .
The National Farmers Union (NFU) has said that as new Defra Secretary of State, Michael Gove needs to makes sure that farmers can hire seasonal workers, who often come from EU countries.
The NFU’s concerns come after new statistics found that the number of seasonal workers has dropped 17%, leaving some farms critically short of people to harvest fruit and vegetables at a vital time.
In May, during a busy harvest period, there were over 1,500 unfilled vacancies.
NFU horticulture and potatoes board chairman Ali Capper said: “A lack of clarity regarding the UK’s future relationship with the EU and a weakened sterling has contributed to the reduction in workers on farm now being reported by labour providers who source seasonal workers.
“Farmers and growers need to know how the Government will deal with the need from industries that rely on seasonal workers and the NFU is calling for reassurance farmers will be able to source a reliable and competent workforce both now and in the future.
“Without that, this trend is likely to continue and at this stage in the season any further tightening in the workforce will hit hard on farms.”
The NFU is also calling on the Government to provide clarity on the new rules for EU migrants living and working in the UK.
The survey of labour providers showed that the number of labour providers unable to meet the requirements of the farms they supplied rose four-fold.
It also revealed that the number of returning workers, which form a sizeable and dependable source of workers, dropped from 65% to 33% during the first five months of the year.
Mrs Capper said: “Returnees are absolutely vital.
“Their past experience and technical ability makes them so valuable and losing them is a big concern.
“This robust survey represents 30% of the total seasonal workforce and it is crucial Government understands the importance of seasonal workers to an industry that provides the raw ingredients to feed the nation.”
Meanwhile, the price of strawberries and other British summer fruit will “soar” if Brexit negotiations fail to allow for seasonal labourers from Europe to cultivate and harvest the crops, according to a report.
Prices for strawberries and raspberries will rise by 35% to 50% if Brexit restricts access to EU labour, the report by farm business consultants Andersons for industry body British Summer Fruits predicts.
It also foresees a slump in Government revenue from income tax, corporation tax and National Insurance, falling soft fruit consumption, less soft fruit being grown in the UK and growers going out of business.
The report concludes the UK would experience significantly reduced food self-sufficiency and a negative shift on the UK’s balance of payments as a result of increased imports if growers could no longer employ seasonal workers from the EU.
British Summer Fruits said soft fruit production in the UK had grown by 131% over the last 20 years to a value of more than £1.2 billion, largely as a result of an increase in home-grown strawberries.
Around 95% of the 29,000 seasonal workers each year currently come from the EU - primarily from Poland, Bulgaria and Romania - and demand is expected to rise to around 31,000 by 2020 if the industry continues to grow, the organisation said.
It has called for a Seasonal Agriculture Permit Scheme which would allow labourers from Europe to enter the UK on fixed-term contracts “to fill the jobs UK citizens shun”.
British Summer Fruits chairman Laurence Olins said: “This is as extreme as it gets. If we do not have the pickers, we do not have a soft fruit industry.
“It is inconceivable that people who voted to leave the European Union wanted to destroy an iconic and incredibly competitive British horticulture industry, and see the end of buying British produce.
