Defra rapped for lack of action on seed potato exports to EU

Defra has been accused of being “asleep at the wheel” on the issue of seed potato exports to the EU.

English, Scottish and Welsh seed potato growers have been unable to export to the EU since 2021, after the bloc denied access to the market over concerns about the product remaining aligned with European standards post-Brexit.

See also: What is GB Potatoes and why should farmers join?

The Scottish seed potato industry accounts for three-quarters of UK production and is worth about £112m/year.

Defra has recently confirmed exports of seed potatoes to Northern Ireland can resume from 30 September 2023, but progress on resumed access to the wider EU market has stalled.

In response to a letter from Richard Thomson, SNP MP for Gordon, minister Lord Benyon said the issue had not been raised with European officials since March.

Mr Thomson described the admission as “absolutely outstanding.”

“I worry that it provides an indication of the importance – or lack of – that the UK government attaches to restoring Scottish seed potatoes, renowned the world over for their quality, to their rightful export markets,” he said.

“Defra has effectively been asleep at the wheel for months when it should have been driving the negotiations to get our markets back.”

A Defra spokesperson said: “Under the Windsor Framework, plants and seeds can once again move easily within the UK, ending restrictions that hampered consumer choice and damaged business. 

“This includes removing the prohibition on the movement of seed potatoes on 1 October and we will work with industry to ensure plant and seed movement schemes are as beneficial as possible.”