UK: Urgent call for government action on border issues on plants and cut flowers

The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) and the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) have issued a joint letter to the government, calling for urgent action following a roundtable meeting on plants, cut flowers, and border-related issues held on 4 October 2024.

In the letter, the HTA and FPC emphasize the vital role of horticulture and fresh produce, contributing significantly to the UK economy, food security, and environmental sustainability. The joint letter highlights substantial obstacles to the trade of both edibles, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, and non-edible plants, including cut flowers, planting materials, finished plants, trees, shrubs, bulbs, and seeds. Issues such as rising logistics costs, damaged goods, delays, increased waste, and complex paperwork severely impact sector growth and investment in the future.

As a result, says the HTA, the UK's business reputation is being tarnished, business relationships are under strain, and there is reduced confidence in border processes. These challenges threaten the country's food security, hinder progress toward achieving the UK's environmental goals, and directly impact the choices available to consumers.

Jennifer Pheasey, Director of Public Affairs at HTA, commented: "We are asking policymakers to urgently work with the HTA and FPC, listen to our members, and take swift action to safeguard UK horticulture. Our sectors face growing pressures from rising costs, supply chain issues, and regulatory changes. While our sectors face different impacts, we share the same vision for frictionless border trade. There is an urgent need for oversight of all trade-related policies, whether trade with Northern Ireland, GB Plant Passport changes, or CITES regulations. If these aspects do not function cohesively, we face increased friction, costs, and damage to the UK's competitiveness, which ultimately restricts growth and impacts consumers directly. The HTA remains committed to collaborating with the government to address these challenges."

Nigel Jenney, CEO of the Fresh Produce Consortium, said: "The UK border strategy imposed by the previous Government is an overwhelming and ongoing failure without any immediate sign of improvement. We simply need an affordable and effective biosecure border that meets the needs of industry and consumers. As a sector, we have been proactive for many years, investing in effective self-funded border solutions. However, a dynamic industry that is the bedrock of the nation's food and wellbeing has been knowingly compromised by the previous government."

10 specific border-related actions the HTA and FPC are jointly calling for:

1. Urgent border policy summit with cross-government ministerial engagement to hear directly from businesses and establish a swift, solutions-focused action program.
2. Urgently ensure there is ownership and oversight within the government of the full suite of border and trade-related policies impacting UK horticulture and fresh produce businesses and consumers. We must see growth and economic considerations fully understood when making policy decisions. The reduction in resourcing of the borders team in Defra should be reversed.
3. Deliver the reset of the UK's relationship with the EU. The HTA seeks an SPS/plant health agreement based on the principle of mutual recognition whilst maintaining essential elements of the revised UK government's border approach.
4. Remove barriers to the current Control Point (CP) system through the provision of inspectors to CPs after 5 pm, meet the 4-hour service level agreement at BCPs, expedite roll-out of Authorised Operator Status (AOS or 'trusted trader'), and, given BCPs are not fit-for-purpose in-terms of capability or capacity for handling high-risk plant trade, ensure access to AOS and establishing a POD+ system for those businesses.
5. Review UK commodity risk categorization further, including for current high-risk plant products, cut-flowers, and seeds.
6. Urgent action on communications and trading systems access, including broader access to IPAFFS, publication of data on border movements, product inspection rates, real-time alerts on at-border holds, and an improved system for UK plant health-related alerts.
7. Improve pest and disease testing capability and biosecurity measures at the border by providing properly equipped on-site laboratories at key BCP and CP locations, improving testing times and proportionality of tests applied, such as seed sample sizes used. Or confirmation of prohibitive pest presence.
8. Confirm now an easement extension beyond the 30 June 2025 deadline to allow GB Plant Passports to be affixed to retail-ready plants in the EU on behalf of GB Plant Passport holders.
9. Pause the Common User Charge for 12 months and fully review the economic impacts of UK borders policy.
10. Direct and active international engagement to reassure those involved in global horticulture and fresh produce supply chains that the UK government is open for trade and business and seeking to improve border operations now and give future certainty.

HTA members can read the full letter at the link here.