Only 123 Thai berry pickers granted visas by Finland’s embassy

Finland’s embassy in Bangkok has approved just 123 of the 2,100 seasonal-work visa applications filed this year by Thai berry pickers, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs said on Monday.

Consul-General Jussi Tanner told X that the embassy issued 123 positive decisions and roughly 2,000 rejections. The shortfall comes as Finnish berry companies warn of potential shortages of wild bilberries and blueberries in domestic forests.