London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 31, 2025

British gala apples at an orchard in Kent.

Tonnes of crops left to rot as farms struggle to recruit EU workers

Brexit fears and fall in sterling causing pickers to stay away, says National Farmers’ Union
Thousands of tonnes of fruit and vegetables are being left to rot in UK fields because of a shortage of pickers and packers in the face of continuing Brexit uncertainty.

Overseas workers, who account for the vast majority of the horticultural labour force, have been unwilling to come to the UK or have returned home early because of fears about their status in the event of a chaotic exit from the EU.

With farmers reporting a shortage of workers of 30% or more last month, some of those with autumn-harvesting crops including berries, apples and beans have been forced to leave their produce in fields and orchards. According to the trade journal The Grocer, some farmers are having to shut down operations six weeks early because they do not have enough workers.

Chris Chinn, a blueberry and bean grower in Herefordshire, said he would have to walk away from half his potential October crop because he only had half the workers he needed.

“The shortage of workers is the biggest threat to our business. Without staff to pick crops like beans, where we don’t have an automation option, then we cannot harvest them and they won’t be available on supermarket shelves.”

He said the farm had suffered shortages despite stepping up direct recruitment in eastern Europe and offering more perks, including higher bonuses for good pickers and improved accommodation with free wifi.

Another fruit farm in Herefordshire said last week that it had wasted 87,000 punnets of raspberries in just a fortnight because it was short of 100 pickers.

This year’s worker shortages are the latest in successive years of labour problems which began in 2013 when the UK government ended a seasonal workers visa scheme that enabled farmers to bring in pickers and packers from outside the EU.

That came ahead of workforce shortages across the EU as Polish, Bulgarian and other eastern European citizens, who had previously sought seasonal work in western Europe, are increasingly able to find jobs closer to home. The UK has suffered particular difficulties because of uncertainties about visa status, the fall in the value of sterling and headlines about poor treatment of immigrants.

The National Farmers’ Union found there was an overall 18% shortfall in the number of agricultural workers in August, even though businesses had tried to head off difficulties by recruiting up to 25% more people than usual.

Ali Capper, the chair of the NFU’s horticultural board, said she expected the shortfall to rise to at least 29% in September. She added that two or three businesses collapsed last month because of the problems.

She called on the government to expand a pilot scheme, which currently allows 2,500 non-EU workers to come into the UK for six months of work, to a national level.

“The shortage is driven by two things: government policy and the impact of Brexit,” Capper said.

“The UK is competing with Germany and Denmark and other countries. There are a lot of reasons why [workers] might not choose the UK.”

Uncertainty about ending freedom of movement and headlines about EU migrants no longer being welcome, together with the fall in the value of the pound – which has reduced potential take-home pay – had all put workers off, she said.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×