Chronic labour shortages in the food and farming sector could see food prices continue to rise, according to MPs. The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee report – devised by six Tory and four Labour MPs along with one SNP colleague – said that as of August last year the sector had “potentially in excess of 500,000 job vacancies”.
It found evidence of pressure and shortages before the outbreak of war in Ukraine had caused the sector to experience “even greater pressure”. “The evidence we have taken leaves us in no doubt about the seriousness of the issues facing the food and farming sector caused by labour shortages,” wrote the study’s authors.
“These include food security, animal welfare and the mental health of those working in the sector. In contrast, the Government has not demonstrated a strong understanding of these issues, and even on occasion sought to pass the blame onto the sector on the basis of incorrect information about its own immigration system.
“The Government must radically shift its attitude and work together with the sector to devise solutions that speedily help address the problems it faces, in the short, medium and long-term to help the UK’s food industry and enable it to thrive. Failure to do so risks shrinking the sector and leading to higher food inflation at the price of the UK’s competitiveness, thereby making the country more reliant on food imports as we export our food production capacity — as well as the jobs it supports — abroad.”
