Brexit has led to a decline in crops and fewer home-grown merchandise on the cabinets of Britain’s supermarkets, farming chiefs have warned.
Farmers in Kent advised a visiting group of MPs that it has change into simpler to import some fruits than harvest them due to strict limits on the variety of seasonal staff from the EU.
Winterwood Farms, an agricultural large primarily based within the county, mentioned its UK farms had been compelled to depart 8 per cent of their fruit crop unharvested and could be planting much less in future.
Stephen Taylor, managing director of Winterwood in Maidstone, mentioned the federal government’s recommendation to exchange misplaced EU labour with British staff and robots confirmed how “out of touch” ministers had change into.
“The flow of people coming from Europe to work for the summer has declined every year since Brexit, particularly the last two summers, and as a direct result we are now growing less and importing more,” he mentioned.
Calling for extra versatile seasonal work visas, he added: “The government could still allow the same people to carry out the harvest – but it has inexplicably decided to choke the industry instead.”
Labour MP Hilary Benn led a delegation of MPs and business chiefs to go to Winterwood’s farms in Kent to see the difficulties they’re dealing with with labour shortages.
They have been advised the issue had hit the entire farming sector – leading to much less contemporary, costlier imported fruit in British supermarkets to cowl the shortfall.
The UK Trade and Business Commission delegation, which is analyzing the impression of Brexit, additionally heard that British farmers’ low season commerce had additionally been badly hit.
Farmers may beforehand promote any surplus from abroad operations to EU markets, however new Brexit purple tape means they need to now pay to get rid of this fruit.
Mr Benn, co-convenor of the fee, mentioned the federal government’s immigration and commerce insurance policies have been “raising questions over our food security”.
The senior Labour MP added: “It is essential that ministers urgently consider the introduction of more flexible visas for seasonal workers and negotiate better trading terms on fresh produce with our European neighbours.”
Mr Benn and co-convenor Peter Norris have written to dwelling secretary Priti Patel and setting secretary George Eustice to request pressing conferences on the issues affecting British farms.
Naomi Smith, chief government of the internationalist marketing campaign group Best for Britain, mentioned Boris Johnson’s ministers may need to abdomen “more European berries in their Pimms this summer”.
She added: “The government’s insufficient Brexit deal, far from being oven ready, actually means quality home-grown produce is left to rot, and leaves British supermarkets with no choice but to import, meaning consumers have less choice, less fresh produce and higher prices.”
A current report by teachers on the LSE Centre for Economic Performance discovered that Brexit had brought about a 6 per cent enhance in Britain’s meals costs.
The research confirmed “a clear and robust impact of Brexit-induced trade frictions increasing food prices for UK consumers” as households continued to wrestle with the price of dwelling disaster.
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Source: countryask.com