To ask Her Majesty's Government what effect Brexit has had on seasonal workers in the fruit picking industry; and what measures they are taking to address the labour shortages reported by the British Summer Fruits trade body.
Answered on
29 June 2018
The Government recognises the concerns of stakeholders about the impact of the UK’s departure from the EU on the seasonal workforce in horticulture. We understand the importance of seasonal labour in supporting a successful and effective agricultural sector, and we are considering how best to support the needs of the sector both before and after we leave the EU.
Defra considers the latest data and works closely with industry to understand labour demand and supply, including on the seasonal workforce. The data provided by British Summer Fruits is a welcome addition to our evidence base.
To give businesses and citizens certainty, the UK and EU have reached agreement on the terms of an implementation period that will start on 30 March 2019 and last until 31 December 2020. Until the end of December 2020, employers in the agricultural and food processing sectors can recruit EU citizens to fill vacancies, and those arriving to work will be able to stay in the UK afterwards.
Whilst the UK prepares to leave the EU, Defra is working closely with the Home Office to ensure that there is a long term strategy for agricultural labour as part of our future immigration policy.