Farming Lack of migrant workers left food rotting in UK fields last year, data reveals Exclusive: Brexit fears and falling pound left fruit and vegetable farms short of more than 4,000 workers, with senior MPs warning of a crisis Many farms suffered financial losses due to food being unpicked and left to rot. Photograph: Rok Stritof / EyeEm/Getty ImagesFruit and vegetable farms across the UK were left short of thousands of migrant workers in 2017, leaving some produce to rot in the fields and farmers suffering big losses. The government, which has pledged to reduce immigration, has so far rejected calls to reinstate a seasonal agricultural workers scheme (Saws). There are serious questions about the supply, affordability and quality of food we can expect after we leave the EU.”Facebook Twitter Pinterest EU migrant workers harvesting lettuce in West Lancashire. Haygrove raspberry and blueberry farm in Ledbury, Herefordshire is moving some of its growing to Yunnan province in China because of uncertainty over migrant labour.

Source: The Guardian February 09, 2018 14:46 UTC