The future beyond the proposed scrapping of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS) next year needs clarification for labour users, the industry warned last week.

SAWS operators have been pushing the government for an earlier decision than usual on whether Romanian and Bulgarian workers will come under the scheme in future, in a bid to find out where the industry stands by September.

Concordia chief executive Rob Orme admitted at Fruit Focus that labour pressures had eased this year, but he stressed that growers “cannot plan their labour until they know what is happening” and insisted that the industry was pushing for answers.

Orme told freshinfo: “It has been a lot easier for us to find people this year and the increase in work cards has helped the situation. Growers are finding that they have enough workers around.

“SAWS is set to end next year but the government will have to think longer term than that. The scheme has been excellent because it was designed to meet the shortage of labour and to a great extent, that is exactly what it has done.

“If it goes, there will be nothing to replace it - there is no indication yet of what SAWS will be replaced by, but I think the government will listen to the Migration Advisory Committee. The industry might have to work hard to get its way.”

Topics