The staff shortage in this sector does exist. And it has become truly sad for the countless businesses preparing for the traditional Christmas rush, Britain’s Guardian newspaper writes.

The shortage of good staff is already starting to feel like the partial closure of Nando’s restaurant chain this week. At the island’s fast-food chain KFC, the line has gone through a number of dishes. But for the British, the real drama only becomes if a big turkey isn’t on the Christmas menu.

According to the Confederation of British Poultry Industry (BPC), this will become a reality if the government does not intervene. Currently, one in every six poultry farming jobs is already vacant. According to the BPC, as the climax nears Christmas, there will be an even greater shortage.

One industry member is 2 Sisters Food Group, which is the largest supermarket chicken supplier. In the Guardian, he warns of a shortage in stores in the coming months.

British poultry farmers already own fewer turkeys, fearing that there are not enough staff to slaughter them.

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Thousands of vacancies

Producers such as KellyBronze Turkeys say this staff shortage is a direct result of EU workers leaving the UK. They left when Brexit started and will not come back.

The industry has again called on Home Secretary Priti Patel in a bid to relax immigration rules. It is a declared opposition to the amendments and has not yet responded.

As every year, thousands of seasonal workers were also moving to poultry farms at the beginning of December, but the borders for cheap European workers remain closed.

Britain’s poultry sector employs more than 40,000 people, but there are nearly 7,000 vacancies, according to the BPC.

Because of this shortage, chicken producers have scaled back their range. According to the fire letter to Patel, weekly production is now down by 10%.

absence of security

Turkey’s supply has fallen by a similar amount, but it could be down as much as 20% by Christmas.

The staff shortage is already affecting the existing poultry stock. According to Paul Kelly, KellyBronze’s resource manager, major producers are choosing to keep fewer birds. They are not sure that the additional 1,500-2,000 employees who need to pick, pack and deliver birds will be able to start work in December.