Farmers are having to pay labourers up to £30 an hour to pick vegetables as the shortage of workers raises the prospect of Britain having to import more fresh produce next year.
The British Growers Association says that seasonal agricultural workers can now earn £1,000 a week, the equivalent of more than £50,000 a year pro rata.
Jack Ward, chief executive of the trade group, said: “It’s been a complete nightmare, there’s intense competition for labour with all sorts of other industries and lots of reports of people poaching labour off farms to work in the hospitality industry. There’s a much celebrated case here in Lincolnshire where they are now offering up to £30 an hour to pick broccoli. Others are telling me that
