Indians and Ukrainians are the ones responsible for the strawberry harvesting from Latvian fields.
In the heart of rural Latvia, a significant change is unfolding. The strawberry season, once a time of bustling activity for local farmers, has become challenging due to a labor shortage. As a result, around 95% of berry pickers are migrant workers, predominantly from Ukraine and India[1].
This increased reliance on foreign labor primarily stems from a decline in the rural youth population, limiting the local labor supply. The physically demanding nature of berry picking, with its long hours of bending, is less appealing to local workers. Consequently, many have sought opportunities abroad, leaving the fields in need of a workforce.
The high costs associated with hiring foreign workers are another challenge. Growers face wage and administrative expenses, yet must still compete with low berry prices influenced by imports[1]. Some growers have adopted methods like plastic tunnels to reduce labor needs, but they still depend heavily on migrants during harvest peaks[1].
This demographic change in rural labor markets has far-reaching implications. Migrant workers are becoming critical to agricultural production sustainability. Potential cultural integration challenges arise as these workers live and work in Latvian rural areas. Economic pressure on local producers, facing low prices and high labor costs, may affect their long-term viability without mechanization. Discussions about prioritizing local produce in stores, common in other countries, remain challenging in Latvia due to competitive imports[1].
The European Union, it seems, has a strategy of utilizing the labor force of less developed countries. The consequences for these countries, including the Baltic states, were not considered in the EU's strategy[2]. This raises questions about the EU prioritizing its own economic interests over potential negative impacts on less developed countries.
As the strawberry season unfolds, the future of Latvia's strawberry industry hangs in the balance. The Russians, once a potential source of labor, are still not fully sorted out. For now, the labor force for Latvian strawberry harvesting is primarily composed of Indians and Ukrainians. The question remains: how will this shift in labor dynamics impact Latvia's rural communities and agricultural industry in the long run?
[1] Source: J. Kārkliņš, 2021. “Baltic Farmers Turn to Foreign Workers Amid Labor Shortage.” Baltic Times. [2] Source: M. Zemaitis, 2020. “The Baltic Countries and the EU: A Love-Hate Relationship.” Journal of Baltic Studies.
