New post-Brexit border checks set to be implemented in April are posing an “existential threat” to the UK’s fruit and flower growers, warns the National Farmers’ Union (NFU). Changes to import rules will impose checks at the border for nearly all young plants entering the UK, potentially causing long delays, damage to plants, and destruction of stock. Growers fear that the border control points may not handle the volume of imports effectively, leading to damaged or destroyed plant imports and threatening crops for the coming year. The NFU calls for a more risk-based approach to reduce the number of checks.
The current process involves imported plants being held at nurseries and farms under controlled conditions, with government inspectors checking a percentage of consignments based on risk. Under new rules, 100% of consignments will be checked at new border posts, causing discontent among growers who question the capacity of these posts. Importers will need to provide health certificates for “medium and high-risk” animal and plant products, with physical inspections set to start at the end of April. Growers groups support the biosecurity aims but question the efficacy of the new posts and urge a more risk-based approach.
The government defends the new controls, stating that they aim to protect the UK against biosecurity threats and use Brexit freedoms to simplify import controls. Growers groups suggest alternatives, such as allowing plants to bypass the border posts with “place of destination” checks, and adopting a more risk-based approach to reduce the number of checks. The NFU calls for solutions to avoid an “existential threat” to horticultural businesses in the UK.
