Finnish marja-ala cannot be filled by local workers, researcher says

Finland’s reliance on foreign seasonal workers for berry picking cannot be easily replaced by domestic labour, a labour market researcher has said.

Minister of Finance Riikka Purra (Finns Party) questioned on Wednesday why unemployed young people in Finland do not take up berry picking, given the country’s high youth unemployment.

Anu Järvensivu, research manager at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, said the issue is not straightforward. She noted that the berry industry’s business model is built around workers who can extend long shifts and travel long distances without domestic ties.

“If the industry has been largely based on bringing people here to do a specific task, you cannot just replace that resource with the local workforce. The same conditions do not work for Finnish labour,” Järvensivu said.

Foreign workers’ detachment from Finnish society has allowed them to work extended hours and travel far without the need to return home regularly. For many young Finns, such a commitment would raise practical questions about travel, accommodation and long absences from home, making the work less appealing.

Järvensivu added that structural factors such as employment policies and unemployment benefits also fail to encourage young Finns to enter the sector. “The biggest issue is the total mismatch between employment and business models,” she said.

While some young Finns do pick berries for personal use or sell them independently without relying on intermediaries, the physically demanding nature of the work and the presence of insects during peak season deter many from considering it as a viable job option.