Ukrainians wait in line in front of the Embassy of the Republic of Finland in Ukraine in Kyiv on May 6, 2020. Some of them are seasonal workers expecting to get a work visa and leave Ukraine for Finland, despite the nationwide coronavirus quarantine.
As the spring slowly comes to an end and the season of fresh fruit, vegetables and berries appears on the horizon, farmers across Europe are facing one common problem – a lack of seasonal workers due to travel restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Before the coronavirus pandemic forced countries to close their borders, hundreds of thousands of migrant workers from Ukraine, Romania, Moldova and Belarus were planting and picking fruit, vegetables and berries in neighbouring EU countries, where salaries are three to five times higher.
