Season workers must travel home earlier due to the drought

Season workers.Photo: Gorm Kallestad / Scanpix

The drought has caused bad crops to many farmers in southern Norway, this also means that foreign seasonal workers have to go home earlier and with less money.

 

– “The season began unusually early this year, already in May. It has gone beyond many seasonal workers. Especially those who work for the berry producers who had a very hectic start-up and short season with less berries due to rapid maturity,” says quality manager Steinar Haugse from the producer organization Gartnerhallen to NRK.

According to UDI, over 2,600 seasonal workers came to Norway last year, mostly from Vietnam and Eastern Europe.

NRK has talked to two seasonal workers who have to go home earlier because of bad crops. Vietnamese Nguyen Van Thuy picks among other things beans, peas, dill, strawberries and pickle cucumbers while in Norway. He is usually in Norway for three months, but this year he finished earlier than planned.

– The season is halved. The beans and peas are completely dried out, says Nguyen.

He is afraid he will be in deficit when he leaves for home because the half-pay may not cover flights, taxes and fees in both Norway and Vietnam.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today