Defra’s chief information officer, Chris Chant, has apologised unreservedly for the difficulties the trade has been experiencing with its PEACH system for plant-health certificates, and postponed the need to provide HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) with quarantine release certificates until the New Year.

“I would like to apologise for the continuing difficulties experienced in accessing PEACH,” said Chant in a letter sent to the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC), for dissemination to its membership. “I am fully aware of the considerable amount of concern expressed by the FPC on behalf of the trade over the past week, and those concerns are central to the steps being taken to resume normal operation of PEACH. Defra’s and IBM’s teams are doing all they can to restore the IT service, and senior staff from both are leading around-the-clock work to resolve all outstanding issues.”

Overnight on December 3-4, Defra and its service provider IBM installed new infrastructure to help solve the problems. “However, if PEACH continues to experience problems, http://ehmipeach.defra.gov.uk/ will provide updates as to when the service will be available. Additionally, customers can contact the PEACH helpdesk as normal for the latest information,” said Chant.

“Our intention is now to introduce the need to provide HMRC with quarantine release certificates in the second or third week of January. We aim to give at least one week’s notice before this,” he added.

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