The Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) has warned that increased checks, necessary for large volumes of 'high risk' Egyptian products, will have a major impact on the resources of both airports, ports and port health authorities from 7 October.
The FPC said that importers of highly perishable products would face delays in clearance, additional storage costs, damage and loss of products.
The FPC's Nigel Jenney commented: “It is likely that some port health authorities will not have sufficient resources or storage facilities to cope with such high volumes coming from Egypt. We have called on the Food Standards Agency to take a more pragmatic approach to its implementation of the regulation.'
The FPC expressed its anxiety to the Food Standards Agency and the European Commission over the inclusion from October 2010 of certain products to the Annex I listing, including Egyptian oranges, peaches, pomegranates, strawberries and green beans.
However, lobbying by the FPC has reportedly secured confirmation that the European Commission will omit Egyptian pomegranate seeds and mixed fruits.
