July 6 2007, 14:05

Poland rescues remnants of fruit harvest by Ukrainian hands

Starting from July 5th Ukrainian citizens can legally harvest vegetables and fruits on the fields of Polish farmers during 3-6 months without the necessity to get special work permit. This way Polish farmers try to solve the problem of lack of labor; past year this problem led to the partial loss of fruit harvest.

This season the problem of labor to harvest fruits and vegetables is not so severe, cause most part of fruits died during May frosts. At the same time, new directive of Polish government is sure to lead to the growing number of the people willing to legally make money in Poland. According to this directive, the employer just needs to officially register his desire to employ the citizen of Ukraine.

However, the analysts of ""Agrooglyad: Vegetables and Fruits" weekly" think that there is no economic sense to go to Poland for a job. Past season the average rates for fruit harvesting were only 20% higher in Poland than on the South of Ukraine. This season the rates for berry harvesting have been nearly equaled. Also, to the opinion of the experts of the periodical, Ukrainian workers would prefer to have better-paid job on the construction works and industrial enterprises rather than at the farmers'. So this directive won't probably result in the rapid growth of the quantity of Ukrainian workers who harvest fruits in Poland.