Don't let the Turnip comment dilute what was really said which was that the average British person will all have to work more hours in order to keep up with the lifestyle of an average European.
But Brexit is also partly responsible according the UKs largest tomato growers the APS group
'Brexit has also added cost to operations, predominantly through the additional cost of employing seasonal workers. In 2022, companies were required to pay workers coming to the UK on the post-Brexit seasonal worker scheme from overseas an additional 60p an hour on top of the government's national minimum wage, a decision which Pearson said cost the company "millions" more.
However, the farming minister, Mark Spencer, informed delegates at the NFU on Tuesday that this year growers would only be required to pay workers the national minimum wage.
The length of stay permitted for workers on the post-Brexit seasonal scheme has also proved challenging for tomato businesses with a nine-month season, during which time they require an additional 1,250 people on top of about 750 full-time employees.
Under post-Brexit visa rules, seasonal workers are only allowed to stay for six months at a time, meaning two cohorts of staff are required.
"What that means to us is I now have to train everybody twice. I have to use my best people to train the new people, so my productivity at the peak of the season is really struggling," Pearson said, adding this was true for the whole industry.
Technology is unlikely to replace pickers any time soon. APS is working on developing a robotic hand, but estimates it is still about five years away from being rolled out.
