The British government said up to 800 foreign pork shops could apply for a six-month work visa by the end of this year after some pig farmers have begun to weed out pigs.
Pig producers have asked the government to accept foreign butchers as pigs have been backed up in barns and fields across the country due to a shortage of slaughterhouses and meat processors.
Pigs spend extra time on the farm gaining weight and eating food that has skyrocketed in price, making it difficult to process and risk exceeding the slaughterhouse’s fine size threshold.
On Thursday, the government said that by December 31, up to 800 pork shops would be eligible to apply for a 6-month visa under the existing quota of the Seasonal Workers Pilot Scheme.
He also emphasized that foreign butchers are already eligible to apply for skilled worker visas as part of a point-based immigration system.
In the UK, a new taxpayer-funded private sector storage aid system will be available that will allow meat processors to safely store slaughtered pigs for three to six months.
British and Scottish pig growers will also be on vacation by paying the pork tax. The government says this is just below £ 1m ($ 1.38m).
Pig farmers across the UK say the combination of Brexit and the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic contributed to the outflow of workers in Eastern Europe.
British port exports have also been hit earlier this year since Chinese authorities banned pork from some British producers.
The UK Government is working with the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Commission to support establishments affected by China’s ban, identify new export markets and find ways to consume more diverse cuts in the domestic market. Said that.
Pig veterinarian Duncan Berkshire said the BBC Radio 4 “Today” show had “general positive feelings” in the industry and “light at the end of the tunnel.”
Mr Berkshire said storage aid programs and foreign workers were needed “as soon as possible.”
When asked if payments were the main reason for the shortage of workers, Berkshire said payments were “relatively good.”
“But I think there is essentially a lack of interest from British workers in working in our sector,” he said.
“So you need the ability to mix and match a bit to make sure you get the right numbers.”
The government said the temporary visa system was not a long-term solution and urged companies to make long-term investments in the UK’s domestic workforce.
The pork sector said, “Providing better training, career options, and wage increases to ensure that this sector utilizes the UK’s large domestic worker pool and invests in industry-wide technology. Is expected. “
Reuters and PA contributed to this report.
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Lily Zhou is a freelance writer who mainly covers the British news of The Epoch Times.