FPC calls for halt to plant health fee hikes

Nigel Jenney – CEO of industry body the Fresh Produce Consortium – is urging the government to halt plans to increase plant health import inspection fees until a thorough review of current UK border control processes has taken place.

Speaking at the International Food & Drink Event (IFE) in London on Monday (17 March), Jenney said plans to increase charges related to imported plants and plant material could see a rise in annual import fees from £6.5 million today to at least £16mn if the proposals go ahead. He said 95 per cent of these extra costs would fall on the UK fruit, vegetable and plant sectors.

Call to arms

With the consultation on a proposed increase in plant health fees due to close on Friday 21 March, the FPC is leading an urgent call for action to avert potentially crippling costs for the horticultural, agricultural and fresh produce sectors.

Joined by the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) and the British Potato Trade Association (BPTA), the FPC has sent a joint letter to Baroness Hayman of Ullock, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) with responsibility for biosecurity and borders, and Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Welsh Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs.

The organisations warn that the proposed fee hikes, coupled with existing economic pressures, could have devastating consequences for UK businesses.

While acknowledging the government’s right to recover costs through a full cost recovery model, Jenney underscored that: “the industry is prepared to pay a fair price for a fair service.”

He was, however, critical of the current inspection system, describing the service as: “second-rate.” Jenney highlighted frequent delivery delays and the accompanying extra costs that businesses must shoulder, despite already meeting high food safety standards.

He warned: “the scale of the additional charges means the industry cannot absorb them, meaning shoppers will ultimately pay more at the till.”

In terms of the government’s failed border strategy Jenney continued: “We’ve offered highly effective and least-cost solutions for years. We simply need key control points to be serviced by officials at a time industry needs them not when they wish to arrive often several hours later.

“In addition, immediate adoption of authorised operator status which allows responsible businesses to conduct their own inspections seamlessly.”

United front 

In a united front, the HTA, BPTA, and FPC are urging the government to pause and conduct a thorough review of plant health fees and the border inspection regime before any increases are introduced. Their joint letter calls for:

• A pause on fee increases until a full review of plant health fees and border processes is conducted.

• Recognition of economic pressures from the Autumn Budget’s tax and labour cost increases, as well as the significant financial burden caused by the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM).

• Greater transparency in cost calculations, as the data provided in the consultation lacks clarity and does not allow industry stakeholders to assess efficiency or fairness.

• Improvements to APHA service levels, given that businesses are already facing substantial costs from BTOM and Border Control Posts (BCPs) without corresponding improvements in service quality.

The HTA’s chief executive, Fran Barnes, emphasised how deeply these proposals could cut into the industry: “The current inspection regime is still creating problems for our members in terms of service levels and transparency of costs. To then be faced with an increase in fees for an inconsistent service where we appear to be paying more for less is unacceptable,” she said.

“Furthermore, this proposed increase could not come at a worse time. The financial strain from tax and labour cost increases, coupled with the ongoing challenges of border operations, is already making it harder for businesses to stay competitive. Now, we face a further cost burden that risks harming UK horticulture, fresh produce, and seed potato businesses. Alongside the BPTA and FPC, we are calling on the government to pause this consultation and engage with industry on a fair and sustainable way forward.

“With the consultation deadline approaching, we are calling on businesses across our industries to make their voices heard too – to feed into us and respond directly. Government needs to listen to industry and rethink these fee proposals before it is too late.”

Border costs

Meanwhile, a recent Defra report estimates that running the government’s new border control facility in Sevington will cost £23mn in its first year, from 30 April 2024 to 29 April 2025.

The Sevington facility is responsible for carrying out the majority of the UK’s post-Brexit checks on EU goods. The government is expected to use these cost estimates to reassess its common user charge – paid by traders importing goods via Dover or the Eurotunnel – which varies according to the type of goods entering the UK.

The common user charge is intended to help Defra recover the costs of carrying out post-Brexit inspections on EU imports at the new facility. However, the £23 million estimate has raised concerns among importers, who argue that the Sevington Border Control Post is too expensive, potentially leading to higher fees in April as the government seeks to recoup its costs.

Jenney criticised the operational costs at Sevington as “simply obscene” and described the service at the facility as “atrocious,” citing frequent delays and poor handling of goods. He also noted that while businesses receive invoices suggesting that income generated at Sevington exceeds its £23 million operational costs, the level of service does not reflect this expenditure.

The final operating costs of the Sevington Border Control Post will be published in April 2025, at which point Defra will confirm the common user charge rates for 2025-2026. The actual figure may differ from the current estimate, as it will be based on the full year’s spending.

AOS appeal

The FPC has been calling for the introduction of an ‘authorised operator status’ (AOS) scheme for several years. This internationally recognised system would allow businesses to carry out their own official plant health inspections, easing the burden on APHA. Many importers already have their own storage and distribution facilities at key entry points where they could conduct these checks safely.

A pilot scheme for AOS, involving several businesses across the supply chain, concluded on 13 December. However, the government has yet to confirm whether the system will be rolled out more widely. Jenney sees AOS as an efficient solution that would strengthen biosecurity while making better use of industry resources, rather than relying on a limited number of government inspectors.

The letter to government ministers points out that the combined industry already achieves a 99.9 per cent compliance rate at the border, yet the current inspection model fails to account for the modern and responsible practices the sector has embraced. The FPC, along with the HTA and BPTA, believes a “least-cost” approach can maintain strong biosecurity without unnecessarily penalising businesses.

With the consultation deadline fast approaching, the FPC is urging businesses to act now by submitting individual responses and providing evidence on the impact of the fee increases.

Together with its industry partners, the FPC said it will continue pushing for senior-level government engagement to ensure that any future fee model is both fair and practical, safeguarding the competitiveness and sustainability of the UK’s fresh produce, horticultural, and agricultural sectors.