Visa scheme will help farmers find 75,000 migrant workers

Thousands of foreign fruit and vegetable pickers are needed each year because Britons are unwilling to do the work
Thousands of foreign fruit and vegetable pickers are needed each year because Britons are unwilling to do the work
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Tens of thousands of foreign workers could get temporary visas to pick fruit and vegetables under government plans to prevent production shifting abroad because of Brexit.

Ministers have held discussions with farming industry leaders about restoring a specific scheme to provide seasonal migrant labour. They say they need 75,000 workers a year because British people are unwilling to do the work.

About 95 per cent of the berries grown commercially in Britain are picked by workers from other European countries. Salad and vegetable growers also rely heavily on migrant labour.

Industry sources said ministers had recently offered assurances that a seasonal workers’ permit scheme would be established.

The seasonal agricultural workers’ scheme (Saws), which allowed people to come to Britain for up to six months