Norfolk's Turkey Farmers share concerns as they get ready for Christmas
Industry groups say UK farmers are facing a 16% reduction in their workforce.
Last updated 1st Nov 2021
As farmers begin getting turkey's ready for Christmas, those in Norfolk are again warning there could be shortages this festive season.
It's due to on-going labour shortages and tight deadlines to get the birds ready for customers.
Steve Childerhouse is the owner of Great Grove Poultry in Attleborough. He told us they haven't got enough labour to keep up with the number of orders: "We're very busy at the moment, we've got more orders than we expected. While that's very positive from our point of view, finding the staff however is a real issue.
"I think it's going to be a real issue. Last year was really busy. So far from speaking to butchers and customers the orders are coming in really quickly. A lot of birds have not been put down because farmers were worried about getting them processed and sorted out for Christmas.
"So a lot of the bigger companies have not put the birds down and that's where the shortages were going to be."
He went on to say that the Government's latest temporary workers scheme won't help solve his on-going labour issues: "The five and a half thousand is all very well, but it's all very late and very complexed as well for people like us to get those workers. We're basically focussing on trying to find local people this year.
"Going back to where we used to be as a small farm. When I first started, it was all about helping out on local farms. So we're looking for local people, that's what we're after."
He concluded by say that if they don't get more labour immediately the consequences for his business could be dire: "We have a deadline. The birds have to be processed and be all delivered for the 24th, I don't want to think about what happens if that isn't done.
"Everyone has moved away from our core thing of where the food comes from. You go to the supermarket and there it is on the shelf."