British vegetable importers are expressing deep concern over the significant impact of post-Brexit border checks, which threaten the upcoming 2025 harvest.
The introduction of the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) has led to stricter controls on plant and animal goods coming from the EU into the UK, posing substantial challenges for importers. British seed importers have flagged this issue as a ‘critical challenge’, as reported by The Grocer. These new regulations have introduced complexities in the import process, particularly affecting growers who rely on seeds and young plants from Europe.
Since the implementation of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) controls following Brexit, there have been significant delays at the UK border. Growers, especially those planning for the 2025 season, are experiencing waiting times extending beyond six weeks. Such delays hinder effective crop programming and planning, threatening the integrity of biosecure supply chains that the industry depends on.
Trade organisations, including the British Tomato Growers’ Association and the Cucumber & Pepper Growers’ Association, have highlighted the inadequacies of the current border check system. According to these bodies, the checks at Border Control Posts (BCPs) are ‘jeopardising the health and quality of seeds and plants’, raising concerns over potential long-term impacts on the UK agriculture sector.
The complications at the border have also resulted in European suppliers becoming hesitant to continue exporting seeds to the UK. This reluctance underscores a wider challenge in maintaining steady import levels post-Brexit, thereby placing UK growers in a precarious position.
Efforts are underway to address these issues, with industry representatives working alongside Defra, the Animal & Plant Health Agency, and the National Farmers Union. Despite these collaborative efforts, growers’ associations assert that progress is insufficient. The need for practical and safe solutions is evident, although tangible measures remain to be seen.
The Labour government has announced its intention to negotiate a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement with the EU that could mitigate some of these new border controls. Such an agreement aims to streamline processes and potentially eliminate some of the stringent checks currently in place.
The challenges presented by post-Brexit border controls highlight the urgent need for resolution to safeguard UK vegetable imports and future harvests.
