A family fruit farm near Southwell in Nottinghamshire has decided to stop growing soft fruit including strawberries, raspberries and blackberries as it is unable to find enough seasonal labour.
Starkey’s Fruit has been growing for 75 years but has also been hit by high input costs and low prices. In recent years it has produced around 800 tonnes of soft fruit in polytunnels for supermarkets, farms shops and wholesalers, requiring some 140 pickers a year.
Sales Director Suzannah Starkey said that Brexit had made it harder to attract workers from overseas. “Many of them had come to us for years, they knew it was a good place to work. But with Brexit it became more difficult and they just did not feel welcome.”
She also added that the prices received for their fruit from marketing groups was now unsustainable. “The prices are set by marketing groups; we have no say in that – and it was clear the situation was only going to get worse.
“So, we have sold our growing frames abroad, so perhaps in Romania or somewhere they are growing strawberries for our supermarkets with our frames, which is ironic. It’s been with a heavy heart that we’ve had to make the decision to cease production of the berries.”
The farm will continue to grow top fruit, such as Bramley apples, for use in juice and other products.