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'More migrants needed' for curry Curry houses 'need more migrants'
(about 8 hours later)
The Home Office is being urged to ease restrictions on migrant workers entering Britain from Bangladesh, to avert a crisis in the curry industry.The Home Office is being urged to ease restrictions on migrant workers entering Britain from Bangladesh, to avert a crisis in the curry industry.
Curry houses are struggling to fill thousands of kitchen staff vacancies, says the Immigration Advisory Service.Curry houses are struggling to fill thousands of kitchen staff vacancies, says the Immigration Advisory Service.
For years, many staff in the UK's 9,000 curry restaurants have been recruited directly from Bangladesh.For years, many staff in the UK's 9,000 curry restaurants have been recruited directly from Bangladesh.
But restrictions on the workers have been tighter since eastern Europeans were given employment rights.But restrictions on the workers have been tighter since eastern Europeans were given employment rights.
In a further threat to the UK's curry industry, the cost of rice - one of the staple ingredients in the cuisine - is soaring on world markets.
Rice fears
Alex Waugh, director of the Rice Association, said prices had risen 60% year-on-year.
He said: "If you are a restaurant owner and you are buying a lot of rice you either reduce your margins or you put your prices up.
"A cost increase of that magnitude is going to feed through, and this will probably see the price of a curry increase."
It is thought the curry industry in the UK employs at least 50,000 people, with the majority of restaurants Bangladeshi-owned.It is thought the curry industry in the UK employs at least 50,000 people, with the majority of restaurants Bangladeshi-owned.
'Cultural sensitivity'
According to the IAS, restrictions on lower-skilled workers from outside the EU are causing a labour shortage so severe it could cause "irreparable damage" to the curry industry.According to the IAS, restrictions on lower-skilled workers from outside the EU are causing a labour shortage so severe it could cause "irreparable damage" to the curry industry.
It argues that attempts to get eastern Europeans to work in curry restaurants have failed because they do not have the "cultural sensitivity" required.It argues that attempts to get eastern Europeans to work in curry restaurants have failed because they do not have the "cultural sensitivity" required.
The IAS has written to the Immigration Minister, Liam Byrne, asking for the rules to be relaxed for catering workers from Bangladesh.The IAS has written to the Immigration Minister, Liam Byrne, asking for the rules to be relaxed for catering workers from Bangladesh.
But government officials said they had no plans to review the current arrangements.But government officials said they had no plans to review the current arrangements.