Tomato slaves scandal in Italy

A bleak piece in the Ecologist on the exploitation of migrant workers who harvest the Italian tomato crop, brought to our attention by Dr Nic Groombridge, who can be found on twitter @criminology4u.

According to the piece:

'Every August, thousands of itinerants, mostly from Africa, some from Eastern Europe, descend on southern Italy to scratch a living picking tomatoes that will eventually be processed and exported across Europe – including to the UK – to be sold in tins, or as pastes, purees or passatas, or used as an ingredient in other food products.  

'But an Ecologist investigation has revealed how the lucrative trade is blighted by exploitation and abuse: workers – some of them illegal immigrants – are forced to toil for up to 14 hours a day picking tomatoes in harsh conditions for meagre wages, frequently under the control of a network of gangmasters who make excessive deductions or charge inflated rates for transport, accommodation, food and other 'services'. Those complaining can face violence and intimidation.'

Read the full piece on the Ecologist website.

Nic is a regular contributor to our Works for Freedom website.