Where can I look for and apply for fruit picking jobs in the UK?
Farms and orchards in the United Kingdom are trying to hire workers for fruit picking jobs in order to keep the country nourished. Here's where you may submit your resume.
Season for selecting vegetables and fruit in the British typically begins in April.
Normally, everything goes according to plan, and food is delivered without incident from the farm to the store. However, this year is different from previous year.
Due to border controls, a third of the summer's food crop may go to waste.
As a result, British farmers have a large number of seasonal employments picking fruit and vegetables available.
Job opportunities in the field of fruit picking
Thousands of individuals are required to enter fields and gardens in order to harvest fresh fruits and vegetables.
You'll earn a solid pay while also assisting the country in obtaining its five a day - as well as preventing food from going to waste in the process.
They provide training, so don't be concerned if you don't have any prior expertise. You must be above the age of 18 and in good physical and mental condition in order to participate in manual labour.
These chores will be taxing and time-consuming, and they will require you to leave the home.
Nevertheless, if you're not up for going out, consider actual work-from-home opportunities or methods to earn money online.
Along with fruit harvesting positions, several farms will be hiring for fruit packaging, plant husbandry, forklift, tractor, and van drivers.
How much do fruit pickers earn per hour?
Pay for fruit picking occupations varies per farm and also by position. Generally, jobs are compensated on an hourly basis.
The average hourly wage is between £9 and £11 per hour, and many occupations get a productivity bonus.
Numerous professions pay up to £14 per hour to gather fruit.
All labour is temporary, periodic, and only available during the summer; however, it is often compensated at a rate over the basic wage or liveable wage.
Where can I apply for agricultural picking jobs in my area?
All employment will guarantee that the farms fulfill the government's standards for social distancing.
If you are on leave from your employment at the moment, you may be able to find compensated temporary work elsewhere.
Prior to applying, please contact your present employer to ensure that your contract does not contain a condition prohibiting you from accepting a second position or causing a conflict of interest. If you change jobs, you will retain around 80% of your leave money.
If you're looking for work and want to supplement your income, the following places are currently hiring pickers:
Summer Fruits in the United Kingdom
Hall Hunter farms – may also provide housing for workers (for a small charge).
Hops seasonal work – no new assignments or hours until May
Pro-Force
G's Delectable
Fieldwork During the Summer
Use the Gov website to search for jobs – enter the terms "fruit picking" or "vegetable picking" in the search box.
Choose for the United Kingdom
Alternatively, use your preferred search engine to look for farm picking jobs near me.
Some fruit picking jobs and openings include housing, so check with each site if daily travel will be an issue.
As an added bonus, in addition to being compensated, you'll get free exercise in the British countryside.
Season for collecting fruit begins when?
There is a wide range of fruits and vegetables that are available for harvesting at any given time, as well as the meteorological conditions that have prevailed.
Recruitment for a job might begin in March or April, with a major push for additional hours in May. As the year goes on, fresh groups of students might be brought in at various points.
Strawberry harvesting season, for example, can begin as early as the first week of May and continue through the months of June and July. During a good year, pickers might still be putting the fruits away into September and October.
When it comes to picking blackberries, seasonal employees are needed later in the summer and early fall, so a temporary position might remain for a long period.
In the end of August, the bulk of apples are harvested, with the remaining ripening in September and October.
The current coronavirus epidemic has caused many people to lose their jobs, and a new agricultural initiative is now available to help them find new employment.
Pick for Britain, a new government website, intends to connect those who have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus with farms who are experiencing staff shortages.
The campaign's goal, exactly:
You may locate farmers, recruiters, and agencies with employment openings around the country in this section."
There are a large variety of positions to pick from, depending on the company.
If you're looking for a job where you'll need to be able to adjust your schedule depending on the weather, you may want to check out the company's website.
What employment opportunities exist?
Depending on the farm to which you apply, you may be assigned to one of four different types of employment.
Picking will entail working outside in fields, polytunnels, or glasshouses, picking strawberries, apples, peppers, and asparagus.
Packing entails working in a packhouse to sort and pack fruit and vegetables into units for shipment.
Plant husbandry is concerned with the health of plants and farms and include responsibilities such as planting, weeding, plant management, and upkeep.
Additionally, farms may have openings for operators of forklifts, tractors, and vans.
How are the hours and salary structured?
This is what you need to know about potential queries concerning salary, hours, and training:
Compensation: Your pay will vary according to your employer and the time of day you work – but you will always earn more than the national minimum/living wage.
Hours: farms typically operate from early morning until late afternoon, with packing occurring in shifts that might extend into the evening. Again, your hours will be determined by the employer and the nature of job, so you should negotiate this with the farm to which you apply.
Individuals will receive comprehensive training if appropriate.
Age: You must be at least 18 years old to work on farms, however some positions may be accessible to individuals as young as 16.
The government will classify those working on farms as key workers, which means that you will be permitted to travel to and from work, and your children may still be able to attend their local school as a key worker's kid.
Furloughed employees are eligible to participate in Pick for Britain if their contract with their present company permits it or if their employer approves.
Additionally, individual farms may provide volunteer opportunities.
How do I register?
To view what roles are available, simply visit the Pick for Britain website's employment section here.
You may either limit your search to England, Scotland, or Wales, or conduct a nationwide search.
You'll then see a list of open positions — click on one that interests you and you'll be brought to the employer's website.
From there, you'll find information on how to apply for that position on the specific company's website.
Employer-related information
If you run a farm or a small business and need to promote particular positions, you may utilize the government's free 'find a job' tool to reach out to job seekers.
If you are a GLAA-licensed recruitment agency or a grower with your own employment website, pick for Britain can include a link to it on the jobs page.
You may make this request on the Pick for Britain website by completing the brief online form.