Berry industry groups say they are furious after the Foreign Ministry rejected visa applications for foreign pickers at the last minute. The decision has raised concern in a sector that depends heavily on seasonal labour.

According to the groups, domestic workers cannot replace the foreign pickers who were expected to come to Finland. Yle News reported that the dispute centres on whether the workforce needed for the harvest can still be secured in time.

The rejection leaves the berry industry facing uncertainty just as the season approaches. For growers and processors, the key question now is whether enough workers can be found to keep the harvest moving.