A new NFU survey indicates that the 2022 fruit and vegetable
harvest has been significantly impacted because there aren’t
enough people to pick the crops.
The survey results show that £22 million worth of fruit and
vegetables has been wasted directly because of workforce
shortages in the first half of 2022 alone. As the survey
represents around a third of the UK horticulture sector, the NFU
estimates the overall value of food wasted accumulates to more
than £60 million.
The results demonstrate the detrimental impact workforce
shortages are having on the food and farming sector, resulting in
significant crop losses at a time when the country is
experiencing the worst cost-of-living crisis in generations.
The survey also showed that:
- 40% of respondents are suffering crop losses as a result of
labour shortages
- 56% of respondents reported a fall in production – averaging
a 19% reduction across the businesses
- On average for the 2022 season so far, businesses are
experiencing worker shortages of 14% (this is based on
recruitment and does not factor in the added effects of early
leavers)
- 17% of workers recruited did not turn up
- 9% of workers left their contract early
- Growers expect a further fall in production in 2023 of 4.4%
NFU Deputy President Tom Bradshaw said: “It’s nothing short of a
travesty that quality, nutritious food is being wasted at a time
when families across the country are already struggling to make
ends meet because of soaring living costs.
“At the same time, the prolonged dry weather and record
temperatures have created a really challenging growing
environment for our fruit and veg. Every crop is valuable – to
the farm business and to the people whose plates they fill. We
simply can’t afford to be leaving food unpicked.
“With the demand on the Seasonal Workers Scheme expected to
increase again next year, it’s vital the scheme has the capacity
to facilitate the people the sector needs to pick, pack and
process the country’s fruit and vegetables. This means increasing
the number of visas available to meet the sector’s needs and
expanding it to a minimum of a five-year rolling scheme to enable
growers to have confidence to invest in their businesses –
particularly given growth in the horticultural sector is a
government ambition set out in the National Food Strategy.
“This survey has demonstrated just how crucial it is for fruit
and veg growers to have access to the workforce they need.
Expanding the Seasonal Workers Scheme will play a vital role in
enabling that access and ensuring we don’t see this devastating
level of food waste next year.”
-ends-
Notes to editor:
- Other results from the NFU survey:
- 63% of workers were recruited through the Seasonal Workers
Scheme
- 33% of workers recruited through the Seasonal Worker Scheme
were returnees
- Farm businesses expect 69% of workers to come through the
Seasonal Workers Scheme in 2023
- The survey includes results from 199 growers across England
and Wales, which between them employed over 22,000 seasonal
workers. This is
- 38,000 visas have been made available for the 2022 Seasonal
Workers Scheme. The sector requires 70,000 workers.
