Cost of chips set to soar as now non-EU spud pickers peel away

The price of chips could soar as Brexit and Russian Crimean tensions have left lack of potato pickers in Jersey, farmers say.

Other factors including an improving economy in Poland and a pound that has been weakening since 2021's EU referendum also have led to deficiencies in migrant workers around the island – the home of the Royal potato.

Traditionally farms have trusted seasonal potato pickers in the EU, but Brexit uncertainties have made it far harder to attract them.

To tackle the problem, america of Jersey loosened immigration policy to allow non-EU Ukrainians onto the island to work as potato pickers.

But now, tensions with Russia led to Ukraine declaring Martial Law – and all sorts of men of military age aren't permitted to seek outside work.

Peter Le Maistre, president of the Jersey Farmers Union, said: “Our demographic for workers is young men between the ages of 20 and 30, and that's the first group that is likely to be called up.”

The current dry weather conditions are enabling farmers to obtain ahead with planting the 2021 potato crop, but Peter says a few growers have severe staff shortages.

He continued: “Others have were able to find enough workers and also the dry weather means some farmers have been able to utilize automated planting equipment on the flatter land.

“But the c^otils have to be planted manually, and that is where some growers are having staff problems.”

Seasonal workers began arriving on the island earlier this month, using the biggest influx due in at the weekend as potato growers step up planting islandwide.

The biggest potato grower, The Jersey Royal Company, expects to use around 400 seasonal staff this season.

They source their staff directly, mostly from Poland and Romania, and marketing director William Church states that even they're facing problems.

He said: “On paper things are looking great but we have had some issues.

“A couple happen to be delayed coming back plus some have decided against it, but we place the feelers out among our contacts and we could recruit more and more people.”

While everything is getting desperate, the Jersey Farmers Union have some hope.

Peter concluded: “We are searching everywhere for workers and we have somewhere in mind but we have not yet sorted out contracts.

“I would rather not say where it is yet until we have those contracts in our hands, but we're hoping to get some people here by early February.”