Alec Ross

NFU Scotland has responded to Home Secretary Suella Braverman after she stated that the UK should train its own fruit pickers in a bid to reduce migration.

The lobbying body’s horticulture chairman Iain Brown said: “The Home Secretary’s comments around training and recruiting a local workforce shows naivety over the reality of the situation. The Home Office has consistently failed to understand the challenges that the industry faces.

“Brexit ended freedom of movement for EU workers. Covid-19 compounded the problems, as did a visa scheme that has not worked well enough. This has resulted in several years of worker shortages, leading to increased costs and crop losses.

“A survey of our members also identified that the retention rate for EU and other migrant workers is over 80 per cent while the retention rate for UK workers is 32%. Migrant workers doing highly valued short-term seasonal work on fruit and vegetable farms is a reality that will not change, so we need the government to shelve the anti-migration rhetoric and improve the visa scheme to allow us to make decisions in a sector where the economics remain fragile.”

Round-up

Twenty-six bullocks sold at St Boswells yesterday averaged 302p/kg and sold to 328p, while 39 heifers averaged 310p/kg and sold to 277p/kg and a top price of £2,242.

151 lambs were up 30p on the week to average 353p/kg and £166/ head, and sold to £192 for Texel crosses. 1,565 hoggs dropped slightly on the week to average 282p/kg, and sold to £186 for Texels, and 324 cast sheep averaged £113/head and sold to £230 for a Beltex.

Prime cattle continued to meet with strong demand at Carlisle yesterday, with 32 heifers up slightly on the week to average 278p/kg and peak at 328p/kg, with bullocks virtually unchanged at an average of 280p/kg and a top price of 316p/kg.

Young bulls met a mixed trade, beef types dropping 12p on the week to average 251p/kg while dairy bulls rose slightly to average 246p/kg.

Similarly, prime lambs were up 16p on the week to average 358p/kg, while hoggs dropped 13p to finish the day at an average of 284p/kg. Lowland ewes continued to meet demand and averaged £137/head, selling to £200/head.

As has been the case for several weeks, it was the best fleshed hoggets that met the strongest trade in Ayr yesterday, with the sale averaging 275p/kg, topping at £170/head for Texels from East Moorhouse and 337p/kg for Texels from North Boig.

Cast Texel ewes from Laigh Kilphin topped the cast sheep sale at £180, with mules from Cockhill selling to £120 and Blackies from Gass peaking at £106. Cast tups from Bonnyton Moor sold to £165.

51 new season lambs at Lanark yesterday averaged 329p/kg and sold to £275/head, while hoggets dropped slightly to finish at 272p/kg.

Cast ewes met a positive trade, finishing £6 up on the week to average £106 and sell to £254 for a Texel.