In the lead-up to Brexit, the topic of seasonal migrant workers continues to be at the fore of many farmers’ minds, specifically those in the fruit and vegetable sector.

NFU Scotland’s horticulture chair, James Porter, who grows soft fruit as part of a mixed farming enterprise at East Scryne, Carnoustie, is calling on politicians to put growers’ minds at ease and introduce a scheme to encourage non-EU workers into seasonal work.

“It is estimated that there are between 5,000 and 15,000 seasonal workers employed within the Scottish agricultural sector at any one time,” Porter said. “In 2017 there was a shortage of between 10% and 20% of seasonal workers coming to Scotland from both inside and outwith the EU – partly because of exchange rates, but also because of increasing affluence in other parts of the EU, making Scotland a less attractive place for EU nationals. However, there are still many non-EU nationals who want to come and work in Scotland, but who are restricted from doing so. The availability of more work permits for non-EU nationals would be a solution to the labour crisis facing the industry.

“Although difficult to quantify, anecdotal evidence indicates that hundreds of tonnes of Scottish produce went unpicked last year due to labour issues and this will get worse year on year without the UK Government taking steps.

“To establish the facts, the Union is currently surveying those Scottish growers reliant on seasonal workers and what is already clear is that action is needed now, ahead of crops being harvested this summer and autumn.

“For many years, the UK operated a Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS), which granted permits for workers, mainly students, from outside the EU to come to here for a few months to assist with the harvest before returning home.

“For Scotland’s soft fruit and veg growers it is absolutely essential that we have a new Seasonal Workers Scheme in place for 2018 if all our crops are to make it onto shop shelves, rather than having some rotting in the fields.

“These are points I have made in person to the UK Government’s Migration Advisory Committee and DEFRA Secretary of State Michael Gove, but with no success to date.”