Farm labour crisis looming with Covid rates high in Europe

International arrivals to the UK have been delayed by confusion over coronavirus tests

Concern over labour availability for the start of the UK picking season is mounting among UK fruit & veg growers, amid Europe’s latest Covid-19 wave and a lack of clarity from the government on the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme pilot.

While daily infection rates have hit their peak in most European states over the past week, thousands of new coronavirus cases have been recorded in key countries for recruitment, such as Bulgaria and Romania, over the past week, according to Reuters. In other countries, like Ukraine, infections are also rising steeply.

This situation had exacerbated issues for seasonal workers travelling to the UK for the early part of the picking season due to confusion surrounding quarantine and testing requirements, according to both the NFU and British Summer Fruits.

The Grocer