STRICTER IMMIGRATION RULES WILL MEAN MILLIONS LOST AS UNPICKED FRUIT ROTS, SAYS MEP

3.10.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 13th May 2008

Local businesses will be hit hard as fruit and veg is left unpicked during the upcoming harvest because of government cuts to the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme, according to local Euro-MP and LibDem European agriculture spokesperson for England and Wales, Liz Lynne.

The West Midlands region is one of four key areas in Britain's soft fruit industry, an industry which has grown steadily in value in recent years and is now worth £220m.

However, last year some £20m worth of soft fruit and vegetables were lost across the UK because of a fall in the number of pickers, and this year farmers are fearing losses will be greater as the number of seasonal workers allowed into the UK has been slashed and restricted to EU-newcomers Romania and Bulgaria. Previously non-EU citizens from countries such as Ukraine and Russia were allowed to participate.

Speaking today, local Euro-MP Liz Lynne said:

"The UK horticultural industry is facing a catastrophe. Not only will this hit businesses hard but it will also push prices up further as produce rots here and replacements need to be shipped in from abroad.

"With world food prices going up and everyone becoming more conscious of food miles, this is the last thing anyone needs and shows an appalling failure of government policy. With an economic downturn everyone is feeling the pinch, and with the floods and rural payments shambles our farmers have had more than their fair share of difficulties.

"The government has failed to realise that producers are struggling to find the workers they need and scythed through a temporary workers scheme which had operated successfully for thirty years and always benefited producers and employees alike. Let us hope that the rules can be changed as quickly as possible."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The Home Office has said that the shortfall of non-EU seasonal workers would be made up by other eastern and central European workers who were given free access to UK jobs when their countries joined the EU in 2004. However, farmers and employment agency officials warned last year that the majority of migrant workers were looking for more permanent and better-paid work.