Full Breakdown
Central Asian Seasonal Workers Keep UK Fruit Harvest Running
6/23/2026, 12:48:10 PM
Core Event: Seasonal Harvest Dependent on Central Asian Labor
British farms in Kent, Cornwall and elsewhere depend on Central Asian seasonal workers, such as 44-year-old Uzbek Shukrat Djuraev, who work under six-month visas to harvest strawberries, raspberries and grapes for supermarkets.
Background: Brexit’s Shift from Eastern Europe to Central Asia
Before the 2016 EU referendum, farms relied on Eastern European labor. Brexit removed that right, prompting recruiters to source workers from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, a shift now central to political debate.
Data & Statistics
In 2023 Britain issued over 32,000 seasonal-worker visas: Kyrgyzstan 24 %, Tajikistan 17 %, Kazakhstan 15 %, Uzbekistan 13 %. Workers earn at least £12.71/hr, often £700-£800 weekly, far above home wages. Visas guarantee a 32-hour week, and many workers live in shared mobile homes designed for six.
Key Figures & Groups
Workers include Uzbek Djuraev and Kyrgyz Orozbek Saipidin, who says a season can “change our lives.” Djuraev says the work is “steady and calm,” and Saipidin reports earnings of £550-£600 weekly. Farm leaders Tim Chambers (WB Chambers) and David Catt (Ragstone Ridge) rely on them; academic Christopher Gerry notes the shift; the Work Rights Center monitors conditions.
Official Statements & Responses
Chambers warned that without migrant labor his farms would “close immediately” and costs would soar. Catt said post-Brexit labor is “just the way things are now,” while Gerry described Central Asian youth as increasingly “globally oriented.” Gerry noted the shift from Russia after the Ukraine invasion created new demand.
Criticism & Opposition
Charities argue the visa scheme ties workers to a single employer, fostering exploitation. Daniyar Abdrakhmanov says workers are “forced to stay silent,” and Vicol calls the abuse “systemic.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “I like it here,” — Shukrat Djuraev, picker
- “it would be impossible to run the business; I would be losing so much money, I would have to stop” — Tim Chambers, CEO
- “Can you imagine being a person coming to another country – where you don’t know the language – for the first time?” — Daniyar Abdrakhmanov, former worker
- “The exploitation of seasonal workers that our solicitors see is widespread. It is systemic, and it is enabled by a visa scheme that ties them to a single employer, leaving them with nowhere to turn when things go wrong.” — Dora-Olivia Vicol, CEO, Work Rights Center
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Charities cite widespread abuse, yet no official data quantify it. Visa figures do not show repeat workers or early departures.
What’s Next
Labour’s immigration review and Reform UK pressure may reshape the seasonal-worker visa system, affecting future farm labor supply. Changes could affect the 32,000 visas and farm profitability.
