Finland’s berry industry unsustainable, says finance minister

Finland’s finance minister Riikka Purra has called the country’s wild berry sector unsustainable due to its reliance on foreign labour, state broadcaster Yle reports.

Speaking in Lappajärvi on Wednesday, Purra said the long-standing issue is now being addressed after the foreign ministry last week revealed that most seasonal work visa applications for berry pickers had been rejected.

Of roughly 2,200 applications received, 1,600 had been processed by that point, with 1,400 denied. The foreign ministry cited concerns over potential worker exploitation and employers failing to meet legal obligations.

Purra fully supports the rejections, noting ongoing legal cases in the sector. She questioned why domestic workers—particularly unemployed youth—cannot fill the roles instead of bringing in pickers from abroad.

Industry groups warn that berries may go unharvested this summer, with prices expected to rise. Arktiset Aromit, a natural products industry association, said the sector had not anticipated such a sharp drop in foreign labour.