Virus prompts recruitment drive for fruit pickerspublished at 14:05 Greenwich Mean Time 23 March 2020
A group of Scottish berry growers is looking to hire more than 3,000 fruit pickers to meet a huge shortfall in its labour force as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
Angus Growers' recruitment drive is targeting workers in the travel and hospitality sectors who are facing redundancy as a result of the virus.
It is anticipating a shortfall of 3,200 workers - almost 80% of its workforce - this year as travel restrictions aimed at limiting the spread of the virus kick in.
It is looking for people to pick strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.
The majority of the Arbroath-based organisation's 19 farmers are spread across Angus, Perthshire and Fife.