lours crisis for fruit
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LSPBERRIES and other soft fruit could rocket in price and bs are in danger because of EEC drivers' hours rules. Haulage ms in the Strathmore Valley — Europe's largest soft fruitowing area say they will have to increase their charges or go it of business.
The Government has agreed phase in new EEC restricIns on drivers' hours over e next three years. On June a maximum of 10 hours a y was introduced, and by 81 this will have been. iuced to eight hours. Until the Government has anted dispensation to hau;e firms involved in transAing soft fruit during the rvest. George Brewster, owner of a Kirriemuir haulage firm, said: "These EEC regulations are a total disaster. We have had dispensation from the Government until now, but under the new regulations this has not been given.
"Now we will have to employ more drivers to do the same work, and if we don't put up our prices we will go out of business," he added.