Activists and political campaign group Led By Donkeys mow a huge message into a farmer’s field for the 10-year anniversary of Brexit, near Cricklade, Wiltshire, Britain, on June 19, 2026.PHOTO: REUTERS

Those British strawberries are being picked by Central Asian workers

23 Jun 2026, 05:08 · The Straits Times

KENT, England – There were dozens of strawberry plants to prune, and Shukrat Djuraev was more than 4,800km from home, but he was not complaining as he worked his way down a giant greenhouse tunnel in Kent, in southern England.

“I like it here,” said Djuraev, 44, who is from Bukhara in Uzbekistan and is one of thousands of seasonal workers that British farmers rely on every year to get their produce into stores. “It’s good working here. It’s very steady and calm.”