Finland’s berry industry is warning that prices could rise and large quantities of wild berries could remain unpicked after the country rejected most visa applications from foreign berry pickers, according to Finnish public broadcaster Yle.
The Foreign Ministry has so far rejected around 1,400 of 2,200 seasonal work visa applications, citing concerns about labour exploitation and employers’ ability to meet their legal obligations.
Most applications were processed at Finland’s Embassy in Bangkok, with smaller numbers submitted in Vietnam, Nepal, India, Kazakhstan and Kenya.
Fewer pickers, higher prices
Birgitta Partanen, Executive Director of Finnish natural products industry association Arctic Aromas, described the situation as a crisis and warned that some companies could be forced to close.
Kristel Nybondas, Managing Director of the Federation of Agricultural Employers (MTA), said there was no realistic way to replace the missing workers at such short notice and predicted that berry prices would rise as a result.
“Yes, the berries will remain in the forest; there’s no time to organise any other alternative,” Kristel Nybondas said to Yle.
Arto Aholainen, Chief Executive Officer of Finnish berry company Karelian Maukkaat Marjat, agreed that prices were likely to increase because fewer berries would be harvested this season.
