THE Ledbury-based fruit growing giant, Haygrove, is cutting its number of seasonal workers by 200, because of uncertainty over Brexit and the availability of migrant workers in the future.

But when it comes to major new investment by the fruit giant, Ledbury's loss is China's gain.

The move comes as Haygrove plans to expand and invest in China, although a Haygrove spokesman stressed that the berries grown there will be for the growing Chinese market only, and will not be destined for UK outlets.

And Haygrove, which has an annual turnover of £101m, will still be producing soft fruit in Ledbury and Newent fields, with hundreds of workers employed.

However, the Chinese expansion does represent a distinct shift of direction when it comes to Haygrove investment.

In an interview in The Guardian last weekend, when the news first broke, Angus Davison, the founder of Haygrove, said: “In the UK we employ 230 full-time and 1,150 seasonal workers, but we are now reducing that to 950 because of Brexit nervousness.

He added: "We are reducing our employment this year by 200 people, - 20 per cent of our workforce, in anticipation of problems we can’t afford, and we are investing in China instead.”

This week, a Haygrove spokesman confirmed this was accurate and said: "China has always been part of our plan, and we already grow berries in China, for the Chinese domestic market."

Concerning the reduction of seasonal workers in the UK, the spokesman insisted: "This is not a case of cutting jobs, it is just that we will not have as many seasonal workers as we would have liked."

Mr Davison, speaking to the Reporter this week, stressed how much value he still places on overseas workers coming to Ledbury to pick fruit.

He said: "The lack of UK people wanting to pick is absolutely not due to earning ability; last year we had many fruit pickers regularly earning over £500 a week and the fastest picker earned £1000 in a week. The simple truth is that this type of farm work is physically very demanding, unemployment in Herefordshire in 1.3%; other physically easier work is available, and it is hard to get a mortgage on a seasonal job.

"All over the world seasonal farm jobs tend to be done by people from other countries, be they Ukrainians in Poland, Moroccans in Spain, foreign backpackers in Australia, indeed some Brits grape picking in France. This is a fresh food industry reality. We interview every person who comes here in their own country first and 99% are absolutely wonderful people, deserving of the opportunity to get on in their life from tough beginnings; it is an absolute pleasure to be able to offer them this.”

Mr Davison has written to the Prime Minister, Theresa May, asking for her Government to put a seasonal workers scheme in place, in the light of Brexit uncertainty, to help prevent further cuts in their numbers.

But he is still waiting for a response.

News of the cuts to seasonal workers at Haygrove has been met with dismay by Cllr Annette Crowe who said the reduction in the number of seasonal, migrant workers was "bad for the local economy".

Cllr Crowe, who is also a town centre retailer added: "I think it's a real shame for Haygrove, because they are such a big local company, and one that has been growing in size locally until now, and now there will be fewer migrant workers, because of uncertainty over Brexit."