Philippine authorities and representatives of one of the best-known companies recruiting foreign workers recently discussed the shortage of staff in Romanian agriculture.
During his official visit to the Philippines, Yosef Gavriel Peisakh, general manager of Work from Asia, met with representatives of the Philippine authorities to find new solutions to the acute shortage of Romanian agricultural workers.
As a representative of one of the main foreign recruitment companies in Romania, Yosef Gavriel Peisakh emphasized the need to import labor, especially for the agricultural segment, where there is currently a need for both skilled and unskilled workers.
"According to the requests received by Work from Asia, there is currently an unprecedented need for personnel for the agricultural segment, where Romanian entrepreneurs are looking for both agricultural machinery operators, from tractor operators to mechanizers, as well as farm staff, even veterinary assistants, zootechnical engineers, and the list goes on. Our lasting partnership with the authorities in Manila gives us confidence that the Philippines can now provide the specialists we need for the Romanian labor market. Moreover, I rely very much on the positive feedback received from the market. Filipino workers are considered to be very well trained and serious, and our agriculture needs such people," said Yosef Gavriel Peisakh, general manager Work from Asia.
Asked what Filipino workers receive in Romania, Yosef Gavriel Peisakh told Adevărul that they earn €600-700 net per month.
Filipinos are more hard-working and very cooperative
I worked in the United States, where I coordinated teams of Filipino workers. I knew that they are hard-working and very cooperative, so I really wanted to work with them in Romania, even if bringing them over involves a slightly higher cost. Our company is a seed producer and I can tell you that it has now reached its targets in terms of the staff it needed. Filipino workers are working in the production, processing and packaging processes at our company. We have Filipino workers who arrived in the company even 5 years ago, and we are currently thinking to supplement the number of foreign workers brought in," said Gabriel Pătru, General Manager of Patru Agro.
While thousands of workers from the Philippines are currently living in Romania, the largest percentage being nannies and maids, the agreement negotiated with the Philippine authorities will tip the balance this year towards the agricultural segment, where thousands of workers are expected to arrive in the coming period.
