‘Exploited’ migrant farm workers in UK paid for picks, not hours

A worker trimming lettuce on a British farm. Photograph: Neil Hall/Reuters

When 26-year-old Ben* boarded a flight in Uzbekistan in June, he was looking forward to more than just a summer job picking fruit and vegetables on a British farm.

“I wanted to see new places, cities I’ve never seen before,” he said. “I wanted to make friends, exchange ideas and make new memories.”