Farms hit by labour shortage as migrant workers shun 'racist' UK

A 20% shortfall in migrant workers relied on to pick fruit and vegetables is blamed on Brexit making the UK seem 'xenophobic'

Farms have been hit with a shortage of the migrant workers that Britain relies on to bring in the fruit and vegetable harvests, according to a series of new reports.

There was a 17% shortfall in May, leaving some farms critically short of pickers, according to a new National Farmers Union (NFU) survey. The decline is blamed on Brexit, with the vote to depart the EU leaving the UK seen as "xenophobic" and "racist" by overseas workers, according to the director of a major agricultural recruitment company.