Florida Strawberry Growers Facing Labor Shortage
Ventura County, CA-
By ANUK Staff
2.28.13
Strawberry farmers in eastern Hillsborough County are facing a labor shortage.
Stricter immigration controls have led to the shortage, forcing fruit to remain unpicked because growers simply don’t have enough workers to harvest. The issue was raised by farmers during the annual Florida Berry Expo at the University of Florida’s Gulf Coast Research Center, according to HispanicBusiness.
Carl Grooms, Owner of Fancy Farms in Plant City said during the event that he is leaving dozens of acres of fruit in the fields this season because he doesn't have the workers to pick and pack the strawberries.
The 2012 season has already presented difficulties for Florida growers. Increased Mexican berry farming and cheap fruit caused prices to fall.
"It's not a level playing field," said UF economist Zhengfei Guan, who attended the expo. "We are going to see a lot of industry consolidation."
30 percent of the state’s berry farmers plan to downsize in the coming years according to a recent survey.
Growers have hired lobybists to work with the government to create an “Ag Card,” which would allow immigrants to come in an pick the fields.
"We need to innovate and change," Guan said. "The single most competitive advantage for Mexico is cheap labor." He also noted that the industry needs to find ways to develop methods of mechanical harvesting for the fruits.
