Britain’s horticulture industry has expressed concern that long-term prospects for sustainable growth and investment within the UK’s £3.7bn fresh produce sector may have been put at risk by short-term political considerations following the UK Government’s decision not to replace the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS) at the end of this year.
The British Growers Association is seeking an urgent meeting with Ministers to understand how the Government intends to work with the sector to identify and recruit suitable workers from the available labour market in the light of this decision.
In response to today’s announcement by Immigration Minister Mark Harper MP, British Growers Association chief executive James Hallett said the decision not to establish a replacement scheme was at odds with the advice of the Government’s own independent Migration Advisory Committee, which warned earlier this year that without SAWS the UK horticulture sector could face contraction, increased imports and 10-15% higher fresh produce prices.
“The Government appears to have ignored the Committee’s advice to consider a successor scheme targeting workers from non-EU countries such as the Ukraine. This could have a significant and damaging impact on investment and production decisions affecting the UK with immediate effect.
“Britain’s horticulture sector is a high-value sector of the rural economy, producing 22% of the output value of UK farming on just 4% of the land area. Our industry has a key role to play in supporting the Government’s drive for economic growth within the agri-food sector. Through improvements in efficiency and innovation, British growers have a key opportunity to expand production and reduce a £4bn trade deficit within the sector.
“But continuing uncertainty over access to seasonal migrant labour, when sufficient workers cannot be found here in the UK, represents a major threat to future production and investment plans.
“Ministers need to explain how they intend to work with industry, as indicated in today’s announcement, to help growers recruit enough seasonal workers, because without adequate and reliable staffing levels it is almost inevitable that many UK producers will cancel investment plans and switch production out of the UK,” said Mr Hallett.
NFU Deputy President Meurig Raymond said: “Our grower members will be rightly outraged at this decision by the immigration minister which will have a devastating impact on the horticulture sector in the UK.
“This decision completely contradicts David Cameron’s belief that farmers are the backbone of Britain and the recommendations of the Migrant Advisory Committee that horticulture would suffer immeasurably without access to a reliable, flexible and consistent source of migrant seasonal workers.
“Make no mistake, this will cause a contraction in the British horticulture sector, one which is already suffering from falling self-sufficiency levels. It will put thousands of existing permanent UK jobs at risk, stifle growth, compromise food security, and jeopardise the industry’s efforts to take on hundreds more UK unemployed for permanent work.
“The Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme has been a successful tool in helping our growers to ensure a supply of safe, healthy and affordable food for 60 years and this seriously raises the question of how we meet the challenges of a growing population and rising demand for British food.”
