Leif Ögren believes that Swedish pickers can partially replace the Thai but at the same time says that so-called "free pickers" from Central and Eastern Europe will become a common feature in the forests this summer.

These pickers are not covered by collective bargaining and guarantee wages such as the Thais.

- It depends on whether you open the EU's external border. But the opportunity for them is greater than for Thais, says Leif Ögren.

Thais have guaranteed salary but it doesn't get free pickers?

- No, no free picker is employed. But that does not mean that we should not treat them with respect. We will pay the same price to those we have always done and keep a regulatory framework there as well. But it is not our ultimate responsibility as with the Thai pickers.

A large part of sales

Leif Ögren has had a large number of Thai pickers over the years.

- There's nothing to buzz about. 80 percent of our sales have been to Thai pickers.

Increased tax exemption

Leif Ögren hopes that Swedes will go out and pick berries this summer. One way is to let pickers avoid paying taxes up to an amount of SEK 47,400. Today that amount is significantly lower. You could get up to SEK 47,400 without having to pay taxes.

- Then many more people would be eager to go out into the woods. It would benefit us and society and provide a better private economy for people. Instead of, for example, getting help from the social service; go out into the woods and pick berries.

Union concern

Municipal Ombudsman Britta Häggqvist says that no carrier picker from Thailand has so far applied for a work permit.

She hopes that Swedish youths will come out and pick berries but at the same time believe that the Thai people will be replaced by pickers from EU countries. And then there is no collective agreement that guarantees a salary of SEK 20,000 a month as for the pickers from Thailand.

- It opens up for people to be exploited and forced to live in substandard housing, says Britta Häggqvist, Ombudsman at Municipal Norrbotten.