Some of the UK ’s biggest producers of fruit and vegetables are warning that native species could disappear from the UK ’s shops due to Brexit because 80 % of home - grown product is picked by foreign workers . Without a scheme, they say production would move abroad, where many already have large operations, or would switch to cereals which are harvested by machines. If such individuals are prevented from coming to the UK as seasonal workers , this could have serious effects on the country ’s food security and could also lead to rising food prices . Without a new permit scheme for seasonal workers , producers fear that they could switch to GM cereals , which are machine - harvested , or move production abroad .
Some of the UK ’s biggest producers of fruit and vegetables are warning that native species could disappear from the UK ’s shops due to Brexit because 80 % of home - grown product is picked by foreign workers . If such individuals are prevented from coming to the UK as seasonal workers , this could have serious effects on the country ’s food security and could also lead to rising food prices . Without a new permit scheme for seasonal workers , producers fear that they could switch to GM cereals , which are machine - harvested , or move production abroad .