'Brexit effect' combined with heatwave 'leaving crops to wilt'

There will be a "pitiful waste" of fruit and vegetables, harvests for which have already been hit by the heatwave
There will be a "pitiful waste" of fruit and vegetables, harvests for which have already been hit by the heatwave

British crops are not only wilting because of the prolonged scorching sunshine – it's the "Brexit effect" causing a shortage of seasonal workers to harvest them.

That's the findings from South West procurement experts, the Regency Purchasing Group.

A previous study from Regency spoke about how the lack of rain could push up food prices, because farmers are having to feed livestock winter food already, as the lack of rainfall is affecting the growth of grazing grass.

However, the organisation now says another factor is coming into play which could affect prices – and that’s the fact that some crops are wilting in the fields because there isn’t the workforce to harvest them, which is because of the poor exchange rate.

Sterling has taken a pounding since the British people voted in June 2016 to leave the EU. On Referendum day, the pound was worth 1.28 Euros. On 9 July, 2018, it was worth 1.13 Euros, a drop of nearly 12%.

And figures show that less than one percent of the 85,000 people who harvest crops in the UK are British.

For years, farmers have relied on seasonal migrant workers, mainly from Eastern Europe, at harvest time.

Regency's Managing Director, Alex Demetriou, said: "But it has been getting harder and harder to attract them to the UK, and the primary reason we are now losing European workers is that the exchange rate has never recovered from the Brexit vote.

"The plummeting pound means the migrant workers face a significant drop in income when they change their money back into their own currency, and this is deterring them from taking up work in the UK when they can now earn more money getting work elsewhere in the EU where they are not impacted by exchange rates."

Mr Demetriou added: "To have crops dying in the fields, as a result of the exchange rate, is a shameful situation that needs to be addressed, particularly in light of the recent prolonged hot spell, which could also adversely affect the availability of produce."

Worker scheme

British farmers and growers have been calling on the Home Office to re-introduce a seasonal worker visa scheme after Brexit.

Until its closure in December 2013, the government operated seasonal immigration programmes for those employed in the agriculture and food production industries.

But Regency said a new scheme will do nothing to ease the current crisis.

Mr Demetriou said if the government take no action, and the shortage of seasonal workers continues, there will be a "pitiful waste" of fruit and vegetables, harvests for which have already been hit by the heatwave.

"The seasonal workers from Europe are a vital part of the process in how British produce gets from the fields to our shops," he said.

"Insult is added to injury with reports that seasonal fruit and vegetable pickers are further deterred by them receiving no firm assurances that they will be welcome in the UK after Brexit.

"These workers have families of their own to support, so they need a little more stability and security, otherwise they will find work elsewhere within the EU. The government could provide some security and reassurance by heeding the call to introduce a seasonal worker visa scheme.

"The net result of this will be even higher prices in the shops, which will have an impact on everyone."