Entrepreneurs who need extra agricultural workers from Ukraine can now book seats for them on special charter flights in March. About 10 flights are planned, and more are needed.
Ismo RuutiainenThe Kitee berry grower in Eastern Finland, who is also the chairman of the Fruit and Berry Growers Association, says that he has had good experiences with Ukrainian workers who flew last summer. This time, he plans to book seats for some later spring flights.
"The need for seasonal workers starts in May," Ruutiainen said.
The coronavirus situation has increased costs for entrepreneurs, who tend to share travel costs with employees.
"In the past, when workers came from abroad, they paid all their travel expenses themselves," Ruutiainen told Yle. The greatest need for seasonal workers is on berry farms, but labor is also needed on other types of farms.
Almost all from Ukraine
Last summer, Finland brought about 7,000 seasonal workers from abroad, almost all from Ukraine. There was also a lot of domestic labor, but no statistics were compiled.
"Last summer we had a good, working combination and were able to bring the harvest," said Marko Mäki-Hakola, Business Development Director of the Finnish Confederation of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK).
The union estimates the total need for seasonal work at about 16,000 people a year.
Source: The Nordic Page