The Fresh Produce Consortium is demanding Fera immediately changes plans to raise the price of plant health checks that could cost British growers and importers an extra £1.2 million over the next two years.
Despite more than a year of the FPC fighting against the proposals, Fera plans to raise fees and charges on plant health checks on 6 April.
The increases will be phased in over two years, resulting in annual plant health import checks costing £1.7m in 2012, £2.2m in 2013 and £2.94m in 2014.
Nigel Jenney, Chief Executive of FPC, said: “Fera is going ahead with this extortionate escalation in charges, despite our grave concerns about the impact on UK growers and importers.
“We demand that Fera makes immediate efficiencies and targets its resources to where the real plant health problems lie, outside fresh produce and cut flowers. Without these immediate improvements our industry should not have to bear exorbitant costs for a continually inefficient service.
“Even with increases phased in over two years many sectors of the industry will struggle to absorb these costs. There is a risk that the UK will become less competitive and trade will move elsewhere in Europe where these services run efficiently.
“In the current economic climate no-one wants UK consumers to see a potential increase of 1.9 per cent in prices, but it is a real concern for the supply chain which will have to bear these additional costs.”
Jenney said the lack of a sufficient notice period means many suppliers will not be able to pass on the costs to their customers because they will be locked into long contracts.
This means many contracts will be fulfilled at a financial loss to small companies, he added.
“Given the government’s need to develop small businesses to improve our economy, it’s unbelievable that Fera is targeting thousands of these same companies with increased costs,” he said.
Plant health issues arising from fresh produce and cut flowers are minimal, accounting for less than one per cent of all consignments.
Given the UK government’s commitment for efficient governance, the FPC said it believes that Fera should be targeting imports of commodities from countries which are identified as carrying greater risk.
The Dominican Republic, Ghana, India, Pakistan and Vietnam are responsible for 77 per cent of issues with fresh produce and cut flowers and just four types of commodities; aubergine, bitter melon, mango and sweet basil result in 86 per cent of interceptions in the UK.
The FPC is calling for the fresh produce industry and its customers to challenge Fera’s decision and to call for a more efficient plant health inspection service.
As well as plant health checks, the change will mean significant increases in plant passport fees, plant health licensing and services, seed potato certification and import services for potatoes originating in Egypt.
