Thai pickers shortage leads to unharvested wild blueberries in Finland

This year, a significant portion of the wild blueberries in Finland remains uncollected due to a reduced number of Thai pickers arriving in the country. Only 750 pickers were reported by Birgitta Partanen, director of the Arctic Flavors Association, compared to previous years where up to 4,000 Thai pickers typically arrived.

The situation seemed dire in July when it appeared that berries for industrial and commercial use would largely go unpicked. Prospective pickers faced long waits for work permits from the Finnish Immigration Service, with some applications being denied. Additionally, Thai authorities restricted exit permits for those planning to work as pickers, complicating matters further. Concerns regarding issues faced by pickers and human rights violations in Finland have led three berry companies to come under investigation for alleged human trafficking.

Despite these challenges, 750 Thai pickers managed to arrive in Finland during July and August without needing to secure exit permits from Thailand. Akseli Nevalainen, from one of the companies employing these pickers, noted that by the time they arrived, the blueberry season was already a couple of weeks in, with around one-third of the expected harvest having been missed compared to previous years.

Interestingly, many locals have stepped in to fill the gap left by the reduced number of Thai workers. An increasing number of Finnish residents have started berry picking and selling their harvests directly to entrepreneurs. Kaisu Huhtala, an entrepreneur from South Ostrobothnia, reported a heightened demand for berries, having already purchased more lingonberries in two weeks than during the entire previous year. Buyers across the country have increased collection points to accommodate this increased supply.