Why Are The Lazy English Not Picking Our Fruits And Vegetables?

StevieJ

kabayiri wrote: »

There are several billion people on this planet who live on world poverty level incomes. The vast majority have workable hands and feet too.

The idea that you can not source transient labour for the most basic of activity is frankly nonsense.

Anyway, it's a temporary problem. Machines will be able to do most of the work within a decade.

It beats jumping on the back of wagon in Calais, can always do a runner when they get here.

StevieJ

I picked Potatoes and Beetroot as a kid, also did some golf caddying and leaflet delivery.

moneyistooshorttomention

Me - I'm just thinking "So no vegetables etc ever get picked in Wales/Scotland/Ireland/etc then?:cool:" or does OP really mean "lazy British"?

fatbeetle

Living on a farm I can tell you that at present there is no problem recruiting gangs, (mainly Romanians and Latvians,) to weed and harvest our cauli crop. In the future a short term visa system for certified workers, under registered gang masters, will solve the issue.

Mojisola

PasturesNew wrote: »

British workers would have to think about transport. How do you get from your little flat to a field 4 miles away for 3 days, followed by a field 8 miles away for the following 4 days? And how do you even find these two jobs back-to-back when you're already busy in a field 10 miles in the other direction.

The way people live/work/travel these days doesn't make it so easy. Neither do benefits/hours/rules/limits/caps etc ... on top of finding out who has picking work available as everybody's "a stranger round these parts" these days.

I'm not saying that there aren't good reasons why Brits don't apply for these jobs any more - just that they don't.

The gangmasters who now bring in workers from overseas used to supply British workers and still would if they were available.

pogofish

The reason nobody round my way wants casual agri work anymore is because they had enough of poor conditions and being ripped off by the farmers.

As a result of being told where to stick it by local folk, many farmers have not even hired in the UK for some years now - and if you think Brexit means a change in work gang legislation, think again. These guys will always get dispensation to operate

stator

Mojisola wrote: »

It's the other way round - farmers started advertising in Europe because they couldn't get enough workers from the home population.

Nope.
I've never seen an advert for harvest labour in the UK.
When I was a student I was registered with all the temp agencies in my city. Never saw anything for farm labour.
I was healthy back then, I would have spend a day or two picking fruit.
All I got was a few shifts in a factory.

Mojisola

stator wrote: »

I've never seen an advert for harvest labour in the UK.

Probably too late for this year -

Field Workers
Van Stomp Ltd - Cambridge
£8.14 an hour - Temporary
Apply Now

Join a team of seasonal workers travelling around East Anglia working on farms.

No experience necesary but must be prepared for manual work.

Transport provided.

Accommodation is generally camping as you move around.

Lots of hours, good company, save cash!

Job Type: Temporary

Salary: £8.14 /hour

Vet

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Me - I'm just thinking "So no vegetables etc ever get picked in Wales/Scotland/Ireland/etc then?:cool:" or does OP really mean "lazy British"?

Too cold in Scotland for vegetables. We grow ice.

Jackmydad

Vet wrote: »

Too cold in Scotland for vegetables. We grow ice.

And single malt scotch whisky.
Whether the one should be added to the other is open to debate!