Scottish MPs have urged parliament to act after witnessing another season of fruit left to rot in the fields due to worker shortages.
A cross-party group of politicians from Westminster’s Scottish Affairs Committee visited West Jordanstone Farm at Alyth, Blairgowrie where the Marshall family has already had to leave crops to rot due to a lack of available staff to pick them. Other MPs visited soft fruit farms in Angus and the Borders to show their support.
Picking fruit at West Jordanstone, NFU Scotland vice president Martin Kennedy said: “To see quality Scottish produce wasting in fields and polytunnels is appalling and the loss in potential value and revenue to businesses and the wider rural economy must be recognised and addressed.
“Our survey of soft fruit and vegetable growers at the start of this year predicted that, without the reinstatement of an effective seasonal workers scheme, the difficulties encountered in recruiting staff in 2017 would only be exacerbated this season.”
Fruit and veg growers across Britain have been vocal in calling for the announcement of a new seasonal workers scheme to combat falling migrant workers.
Pete Wishart MP, chair of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee said: “Today’s trip to Alyth was not only a chance for members of the Scottish Affairs Committee to visit a vital part of Scotland’s agricultural sector, but also a chance to hear first-hand from those on the front line about the need for a new Seasonal Agricultural Workers scheme – something we recommended in our recent Immigration and Scotland report.
“Nobody wants to see fruit and vegetables go to waste in the fields due to labour shortages, and we hope to see the necessary support provided to Scottish farmers without delay.”
Commenting after visiting Borders Berries near Kelso, the Committee vice chair, John Lamont MP added: “The Government must urgently re-introduce the Seasonal Agriculture Workers Scheme, as the Committee has recommended.
“Irrespective of Brexit, the labour shortage in the soft fruit industry has escalated over recent years and is now at a critical stage. In some parts of Scotland, fruit is left unpicked and rotting, and the industry will soon be 20,000 workers short of what it needs. Domestic labour and that from the EEA simply isn’t covering it.
“Some farmers are already starting to lose income and need certainty about future hiring arrangements. A seasonal scheme worked well in the past, and would, I believe, work again now. The Government must act before the next harvest.”
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