Yet again this week, the government has let growers down with the decision to extend the costly and burdensome Worker Registration Scheme (p5), and needless to say the industry is up in arms about it.
This decision was taken without proper consultation of the parties concerned and will continue to be a headache for both employers and their potential labourers. What’s more, the scheme’s £90 registration fee will not deter people from coming to work in the UK per se, but may well put some off registering formally.
In New Zealand, the implementation of the Pacific Islands workers’ scheme has clearly been a huge boost for fruit growers (p1), and perhaps it is a model that the production industry in this country could hold up to the government as an example of how their intervention could actually help, rather than hinder.
UK politicians have consistently failed to draw a clear line between seasonal labour and the issue of immigration, obviously keener to secure votes than a solid and sustainable future for UK farming. Yet surely the average voter would be capable of understanding the difference if it were explained to them properly? If consumers in the UK want to see more home-grown produce on supermarket shelves, they will simply have to accept that greater numbers of workers are needed for harvesting and packing. Perhaps it is time to take a leaf out of New Zealand’s book.
No comments yet