Post-Brexit border controls have become a significant concern for British vegetable importers, who warn of potential impacts on the 2025 harvest.
The recent introduction of the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) has implemented stricter controls on European Union plant and animal goods entering the United Kingdom. This new model presents a ‘critical challenge’ to the importation of plants and seeds, according to industry sources reported by The Grocer.
Growers who rely on seed and young plant imports for the upcoming 2025 growing season are particularly affected, facing substantial delays at the border. The sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) controls, a direct consequence of Brexit, have led to a scramble within the industry. Notably, trade bodies such as the British Tomato Growers’ Association and the Cucumber & Pepper Growers’ Association have voiced concerns about ‘inadequate’ checks at Border Control Posts jeopardising the health and quality of seeds and plants.
The import delays are reportedly causing disturbances to the biosecure supply chain that the industry depends on. With growers experiencing testing delays that extend beyond six weeks, crop programming and operational planning have become ‘extremely difficult’. This situation has deterred some European suppliers, who now hesitate to send seeds to the UK due to the complications faced at border controls post-Brexit.
In response to these challenges, the industry is actively collaborating with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), the Animal & Plant Health Agency, and the National Farmers Union. Their goal is to navigate through these obstacles. However, growers’ associations remain dissatisfied, claiming that progress is lacking in establishing safe and viable solutions.
The political sphere has also stepped in, with the Labour government proposing negotiations for an SPS agreement with the EU. Such an agreement could potentially alleviate or eliminate certain border controls, easing the current strain on vegetable imports.
The ongoing border control issues pose a substantial risk to the UK’s agricultural sector, specifically impacting the import of vital vegetable seeds. Without effective solutions, the anticipated delays and disruptions could threaten the 2025 harvest and the broader supply chain stability.
