UK fruit growers claim post-Brexit border checks will cause havoc in the upcoming season

25 Jan 2024 --- Fruit and vegetable growers across the UK are bracing for the impact of new post-Brexit border checks, which are expected to exacerbate supply chain problems of long waiting times and raised overhead costs for keeping perishables refrigerated. These looming changes are part of the new Border Target Operating Model (BTOM), a post-Brexit border regime designed to tighten control over imports.

While the government asserts that these measures are to safeguard the UK against biosecurity threats, the agricultural sector fears collateral damage. The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) raises alarms over the policy changes scheduled for April, which could disrupt the import of young plants vital for the upcoming planting season.

In a statement shared with Food Ingredients First, NFU president Minette Batters says: “For the past three years, British farmers have faced the full reach of EU controls on our exports while the EU has enjoyed continued easy access to the UK marketplace.”

“This is not just an issue for competitiveness, with our farmers faced with additional costs and paperwork, but also for our nation’s biosecurity.”

Concerns over inspection
Under the current system, some imported plants are subjected to checks based on risk assessment. However, according to the BTOM guidance, the impending regulations mandate 100% inspection of consignments at newly established border posts. This shift may result in potential harm to delicate young plants according to the NFU.

Most soft fruit plants, including strawberries and raspberries, begin their journey in countries like the Netherlands. The prospect of these plants suffering damage or destruction at border posts is a concern for growers, who fear the repercussions on their crops and businesses.

The NFU is advocating for a more practical solution, urging the government to permit “place of destination” checks and adopt a risk-based approach to minimize the number of inspections.

“Domestic producers work under stringent UK regulations to guarantee the safety of our food, ensuring shoppers are not misled and protecting our countryside, flora, wildlife and farmed animals,” stresses the coalition.

The regulation could impact price of fresh fruit and vegetable and the availability on shelves.“We support import controls that are proportionate in providing an appropriate level of biosecurity and food safety, while keeping costs and delays as low as possible,” Batters adds.

Diversity and sustainability
It has been claimed that the challenges for producers of fresh fruits and vegetables could have an adverse effect on both the diversity of available food on the shelves and in food stalls across the UK and sustainability.

It warns the implementation of new checks could lead to the damage and destruction of fruit and vegetables, impacting growers with potential losses due to delays and limitations in the capacity to process incoming plants in a timely manner.

Impacts of the recent logistics policies are also creating concerns for the importers. In a draft strategy of Brexit import checks from last year, the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was considering imposing charges on every consignment entering the country from the EU.

Fresh Produce Consortium warned at the time that extra charges would lead to additional costs passed on to consumers as importers can’t absorb them. 

Moreover, prolonged waiting at the border may mean extra energy consumption for preserving food products in logistics may also contribute to an increase in carbon emissions. This concurrently adds pressure to waste management, as a 2022 Italian research paper flagged horticultural distribution activities already suffer from a high incidence of surplus food and food waste.

By Sichong Wang