Farmers across Europe bank on improvised armies of pickers to save harvest
Written by Rory Carroll in Dublin, Sam Jones in Madrid, Angela Giuffrida in Rome, Kim Willsher in Charny-Orée-de-Puisaye and Kate Connolly in Berlin
Growers from Ireland to Spain says coronavirus lockdown has stopped migrant workers from arriving
At this time of year John Greene is usually preparing to welcome dozens of Slovakian strawberry pickers for another harvest at his farm in County Wexford in south-east Ireland.
The work is arduous and repetitive and he relies on their experience and stamina to get the fruit picked, packed and sold.
Related: ‘A beautiful thing’: the African migrants getting healthy food to Italians
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