Fascinating "On Your Farm" on radio 4. A Kent farm manager of fruit farms. He's from a village in Bulgaria, came to pick fruit to fund university, and now manages 850 hectares (think polytunnels on three Heaton Parks). 300 people from his village come each year, the old people stay at home, and the village has the best and newest housing.
But the days when most of the workers were Poles are long gone. Now Poland's economy (in the EU) is better, workers are now mostly from "the Stans" (Kazakhstan etc). The latter tend to be shorter so the "tables" the fruit grow on in the polytunnels have to be different heights (bending down to the ground is old hat).
Brits don't want seasonal jobs (or 5.30 am starts) and wouldn't be likely to learn to speak six languages like he does. And it's not "unskilled labour" so getting the same people back each year is important.
But the main problem is a scheme that limits seasonal visas to 6 months, two years in advance, when they have to plan planting many years in advance. (Farmers not planting if they didn't know if the crops could be picked was an early Brexit disbenefit.)
And some automation - a mildew-killing "light arch" driving itself over the tables.
www.bbc.co.uk
But the days when most of the workers were Poles are long gone. Now Poland's economy (in the EU) is better, workers are now mostly from "the Stans" (Kazakhstan etc). The latter tend to be shorter so the "tables" the fruit grow on in the polytunnels have to be different heights (bending down to the ground is old hat).
Brits don't want seasonal jobs (or 5.30 am starts) and wouldn't be likely to learn to speak six languages like he does. And it's not "unskilled labour" so getting the same people back each year is important.
But the main problem is a scheme that limits seasonal visas to 6 months, two years in advance, when they have to plan planting many years in advance. (Farmers not planting if they didn't know if the crops could be picked was an early Brexit disbenefit.)
And some automation - a mildew-killing "light arch" driving itself over the tables.
On Your Farm - From fruit picker to farm manager - BBC Sounds
Charlotte Smith meets a Bulgarian fruit picker turned farm manager in Kent.
www.bbc.co.uk
Last edited: