A landmark study published by UK trade bodies and co-authoored by the Fresh Produce Consorium has highlighted concerns within the sector on the availability of labour.
The findings of the study reveal that almost half (47%) of businesses surveyed said EU nationals were considering leaving the UK due to uncertainty surrounding their future, over a third of businesses surveryed (36%) said they would become univiable if they had no access to EU workers, almost a third (31%) surveyed had seen EU nationals leave since the EU referendum and 17% of respondents said they would look to relocate overseas if they had no access to EU nationals. The results come just as the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports a significant fall in net migration since the UK voted to leave the EU.
The study highlights an urgent need for the UK Government to secure the rights of EEA nationals currently in the UK, recognise the strategic importance of the food and drink supply chain and ensure no cliff-edge with Freedom of Movement when the UK leaves the European Union.
Download the full report from: https://goo.gl/aiX2DL
