Are we Brits too picky to pick fruit?

Amid talk of a labour shortage because of Eastern European departing our shores, our vineyards have already taken steps to ensure every single grape is picked.

For decades Britain has been heavily dependent on foreign workers to pick its fruit and vegetables.

Given the nature of the work, the limited picking season and rural locations, it’s no surprise that Britons have long preferred to hand picking-duties over to Eastern European migrants.

Now though, with the UK’s looming departure from the EU, farmers and growers have warned that a lack of migrant labour will put the UK’s food security at risk.

But with England's wine industry booming and uncertainty surrounding working life after Brexit, there are a growing number of examples that suggest the reputation that Brits are too picky to pick fruit might becoming a thing of the past.

Clive Vickers, managing director of Halfpenny Green Wine Estate, at Bobbington, said: "We are fortunate we have lots of locals who volunteer with the picking.

Fortunate

"Many are those who have come on wine tasting events and we say to them to complete the experience why not come and pick some grapes. I know a lot of vineyards struggle for help but we are fortunate here and we find English people are happy to do it.

"Back in the day, about 10 years ago, we had Europeans. We employed an English company and all its staff were Eastern European.

"We pick for about five to six weeks and have about 20 people a day doing it.

"I think the volunteers love it as they see it as a day out and there is a bit of camaraderie walking up and downs the rows of grapes.

"I think you also get loads of community spirit you don't get with other crops.

"We produce about 80,000 bottles of wine each year. We were helped by the weather this summer which was brilliant for growing grapes.

"Luckily the vines we use don't need a lot of water as they the fetch moisture they need from a very great depth."

Mark Stevens general manager of Hencote Estate vineyard on the outskirts of Shrewsbury, said: "Many of our guests at Hencote expressed a desire to experience a day working in the vineyard and so this year we’ve held harvest parties for our ‘Friends of Hencote’, all those who have signed up to our mailing list this year.

"At these harvest parties our volunteers have spent the morning picking grapes from our vineyard before enjoying a lunch prepared by our new chef team from our soon to open restaurant and a tour of our new winery in the afternoon.

"We’ve really enjoyed having volunteers come out on these days to share in the experience as it really feels like the people of Shrewsbury are excited as we are to grow grapes and make wine at Hencote."

In the past 10 years the area of planted vines has more than doubled, with a million planted in each of the past two years. Wine GB, the national association for the English and Welsh wine industry, calculates that 24,000 people could be employed on vineyards by 2040. It says that while every 1,000 acres of arable farming needs one full-time employee, in a vineyard one staff member is required for every 25 acres.

Winter

According to the National Farmers' Union, an industry lobbying group, of the 60,000 seasonal workers in the fields last year, barely one per cent was British.

The vast majority come from Eastern Europe, particularly Bulgaria and Romania.

As long as Britain has remained part of the European Union, by treaty its doors have been wide open to the “free movement” of fellow members, including those seasonal farmworkers who come for four or five months, get paid in British pounds and return home for the winter.

But as Britain prepares to leave the EU, bringing the era of free movement to a close, farmers have begun to panic: Who will pick the crops next spring?

UK fruit and vegetable growers will be able to recruit non-EU migrants as seasonal workers after Brexit under a new pilot scheme.

Ministers say the initiative between spring 2019 and December 2020 will help tackle labour shortages during peak production periods.

Minette Batters, president of the National Farmers' Union, said growers will take great confidence in knowing that they will have access to workers next year after "extremely testing and uncertain times".

'One of the perks is that you get to take a bottle of wine with you'

Certain types of work have a romantic appeal that transcends the extremely difficult labour involved; and grape picking is among those that heads the list.

For some 10 years Mo Bibby has joined the team of volunteers who help harvest the grapes across the 30 acres of vines at the Halfpenny Green Wine Estate, near Bridgnorth.

With dozens of pickers turning out this year, the vineyard, which is run by Clive Vickers and his father Martin, has once again relied on their hard work for yet another successful harvest.

Mo, 70, said the process of moving steadily along the rows of vines, placing tightly bunches of grapes into their baskets isn’t one that phases her.

She said: “I started about 10 years ago since I retired and I really enjoy it.

Friends

“I have got to meet some very friendly people, some of whom I have become very good friends with and we have been out for meals together. Clive and Martin are really nice as are the people who work in the restaurant and shop. When I first started they employed some Eastern European workers who were paid but they rely on British volunteers now.

“There are a core of 12 people who come about two or three times a week. I do about five sessions a week. A few people have come who stayed for an hour and we haven’t seen them again. They don’t realise the hard work that is involved, such as the bending over and the repetitive pressure put on your figures when using the secateurs.”

Since Halfpenny was started by Martin more than 30 years ago, the vineyard’s pickers have grown year on year.

And after the tons of grapes they harvest together, they are ready for the odd bottle they get to take away with them.

Mo, who lives in Wall Heath, said: “One of the perks is that you get to take a bottle of wine with you after every session.

“Their Tom Hill and Mercia white wines are particularly nice. They also do a sparkling wine which is really nice and a dessert wine which is really sweet.”

Among the other dedicated volunteers is 97-year-old Ann Hawkins, who has been picking grapes at the estate for about 20 years. Mo said: “Ann is our oldest. She still drives and does the odd hour when she can. It is mostly retired people who do it but we had a lady who was 40 from London who came who hopes to have her own vineyard.”