the situation with the pandemic plunged in grief for the Western European farmers. In the yard it’s time to harvest, but because of the restrictions of the influx of cheap foreign labor is not expected. Have to soften the previously introduced measures to go on the costs of chartering aircraft and special flights to bring seasonal workers from Eastern Europe because the crop itself will not be collected.
every year in Germany alone has approximately 300 thousand seasonal workers to help agriculture. This year due to the imposition by the Minister of internal Affairs of Germany Seehofer of the ban on the entry of foreigners, there is a huge problem: who is going to harvest.
Some of the politicians mentioned that it is necessary to appeal to those 600 thousand refugees who are registered in Germany as job seekers, but in the end had to do a sharp turn and specifically to invite the Eastern European assistants who want to earn extra money on German farmland. Germany was forced to lift the ban on the entry of foreign seasonal workers, declaring that the farm can draw 80 thousand people in April and may.
“This is good news for our farmers. The harvest does not wait, like planting,” said Minister of agriculture of Germany Julia klöckner.
Seasonal workers from abroad had to order to enter Germany by plane, to avoid long bus journeys. They must also remain separate from the local workers for at least two weeks after arrival. All new arrivals are required to undergo a health check.
in Addition to migrant workers, the German government urged to hire an additional 20 thousand people from among the unemployed, students, asylum-seekers and laid-off workers. According to estimates of the Berlin in the coming months, farmers will need at least 100 thousand people to work in the fields.
When the background of a pandemic, the Romanian authorities gave the green light to a request by the Germans to send them to the aid of seasonal agricultural workers, on migrant workers in social networks was struck by the anger of their fellow countrymen who calls them “slaves of Germany.” There are many unhappy and among German politicians. The opposition in the Bundestag criticized the practice of special flights for the Romanian seasonal workers. Leftists believe that the harvest of fruits and vegetables should not be at the expense of the health of workers engaged in the collection.
thousands of assistants for the harvest of Romania can enter Germany until the end of may, says the MDR portal. It is expected that they will provide a harvest, as in all previous years. But they were never the center of attention because of this – and they never flew on a special Board. This year is different.
Sixty-year-old pensioner from the Romanian Vatra Dornei Anton Ehert, which tells the MDR, “feels very ZD��rovym”, but worry about the coronavirus. While in Germany increases the risk of infection. And the reasons for such concern: recently in Baden-württemberg from the coronavirus passed away, the Romanian employee.
of a hundred people who gathered together with Egerton to Germany fifteen migrant workers on the day of departure decided for the Germans not to fly.
Eastern European seasonal workers years came from Romania and Poland to collect in the German fields, asparagus or strawberries. At harvest in Germany, they can earn 3,000 to 5,000 euros in just two months. In Romania, this corresponds to a net annual salary of many workers.
Egert and his men worked for the same Thuringian farm growing asparagus in Colebee every spring for over ten years. “We believe our boss that it took reasonable protection for us,” says Ahart. He knows this farm like the back of their hand, but this time things have changed.
This farm has spent 40 000 euros to this year to 85 assistants for the harvest of Romania. Due to the risk of infection, this time they will be placed in a much larger space than in previous years.
There are quarantine containers in case of exposure of workers to the virus. Migrant workers are also divided into separate groups of 20 people, whether at work, during a meal or rest, so the whole team got sick, if someone will be infected.
With similar problems at harvest faced by British farmers. UK is usually gaining 70-80 thousand seasonal migrant workers to pick fruit and vegetables, mostly from Eastern Europe. So the British had to Charter Charter flights for the transportation of seasonal migrant workers that, despite the crisis with the coronavirus, to ensure the collection of spring and summer harvest. While seats on Charter planes are at least twice more than on regular flights. And given the fact that farmers want to minimize transport costs, there is reason to doubt: do the workers comply with social distancing during the flight?
there is another reasonable question: why call the foreigners, when full of their unemployed who can be entrusted with picking strawberries or asparagus. But farmers accustomed for years to rely on seasonal migrant workers who have the necessary skills – including in terms of hygiene and food processing.
