Results from the NFU’s End of Season Horticultural Survey show that almost a third of growers (29%) found it difficult to source adequate seasonal labour last year. The problem was more acute for fruit growers, with 43% struggling to find enough workers.

Of almost 300 horticulture businesses responding to the survey, the majority believe they will face a shortage of labour in the future.

Last week, experts from the Food Research Collaboration called on the government to develop policies that will safeguard and support the British horticulture sector ahead of the government’s publication of its 25 year plan for food and farming. The researchers pointed to horticulture’s beneficial effects on jobs and public health, compared to other farming sectors.
 
On Tuesday, the NFU said the results of its Horticultural Survey are “very worrying” and demonstrate the impact of the end of the Seasonal Agriculture Workers Scheme (SAWS) in 2013 on the industry.

The union has called on the government to consider introducing a new student workers scheme, which would allow agricultural students from all over the world to undertake seasonal harvest work in Britain.

NFU President Meurig Raymond said, “Horticulture contributes £3billion to the UK’s economy and employs around 37,000 people in England alone. However, a further 40,819 seasonal workers are needed every year in England to help grow, harvest and pack the produce. Harvest seasons with insufficient seasonal labour lead to British crops remaining unpicked, businesses facing massive losses and retailers being forced to fill shelves with imported produce.

“Putting a new student scheme in place will attract young people who will bring skills that can help increase productivity in the UK. This will help avoid labour shortages and the potential consequences of higher food prices, increased imports and loss of full time jobs that seasonal work supports.”

In February 2016, one of the recommendations made by the NFU in its report on the government’s new hourly minimum wage was to re-introduce a seasonal agricultural workers scheme open to agriculture students from anywhere in the world. The new ‘Living Wage’ being introduced by the government next year (which, confusingly, differs from the Living Wage), will only apply to the over 25s, so students would potentially be a source of cheaper employment for growers. The NFU has been contacted to comment on what payment students working on its proposed scheme could expect to receive.