German fruit and vegetable growers want exceptions on minimum wage
People that are set to work in Germany for only 50 days of the year should only be allowed 80% of the minimum wage", said the DBV-chairman Joachim Rukwied last Wednesday during the 'Deutsche Bauerntag' in Bad Dürkheim. "Otherwise we could be threatened with price increases and the withdrawal of companies".
Rukwied's main argument was defending the requirement of minimum wage exceptions for certain seasonal workers. "Otherwise, not only are their jobs in danger, but the production of labor intensive cultures will also be in danger", says Rukwied. Take asparagus for example, 60 to 80 percent of the cost of asparagus comes from wages. "If the minimum wage is applied without exceptions, there is a danger that production will go to countries like Poland and Romania, where the minimum wage is only 2.31 euro, or as low as 1.14 euro. Depending on the labor intensity of the culture, it also needs to be kept in mind that prices should be increased 20 to 30 percent.