Scottish rural secretary Mairi Gougeon said problems with securing migrant labour in seasonal and seafood processing still “loom large” despite the extension to the Seasonal Workers Scheme.
Gougeon said this is because the domestic market has repeatedly been tested and found to be incapable of meeting demand.
Last week, the UK government said it is extending the seasonal worker visa route for five years until 2029 and that 43,000 visas will be available to the horticulture sector with 2,000 visas for poultry.
The Scottish government has written repeatedly to the UK government to ask for “meaningful engagement” to look at solutions to labour shortages and funding concerns and has been met with “deafening silence”, Gougeon said.
The Scottish government said the UK government failed to invite it to the Farm to Fork summit today (Tuesday, May 14).
“This has been an incredibly challenging year for farmers and food producers and we have been stunned by the UK government’s complete unwillingness to talk with us about the significant issues they are facing,” Gougeon said.
Despite the Scottish government’s repeated requests, Gougeon said it was only made aware of the UK government’s response to the UK Independent Review of Labour Shortages in the Food Supply Chain in England within hours of its publication last week.
The response makes “scant reference” to UK migration policy, she said.
“While we broadly welcome the extension to the Seasonal Visa Scheme, and stakeholders will likely be reassured by a level of certainty there, this was only ever meant to be a temporary fix.
“The problems with securing migrant labour in sensitive parts of the sector including seasonal and seafood processing still loom large as the domestic market has repeatedly been tested and found to be incapable of meeting demand.
“This summit is just another in a long list of opportunities squandered by the UK government to champion the food and drink sector together.”
