FPC urges Defra to reconsider its approach and find alternative solutions
Fresh Producue Consortium members have outlined their concerns to government over proposed plant health fee increases.
The trade body hosted a session with Defra on 6 March to discuss the proposed changes, which FPC chief executive Nigel Jenney said were causing substantial disquiet in the industry.
Attendees at the event included FPC members Tom Brown Wholesale, Morgan Cargo, Jane Adams Flowers and PML Seafrigo.
Jenney said: “The planned cost increases are substantial, which raises considerable concern to industry and consumers. The increases are simply unaffordable, especially when it’s clear the service consistently fails to offer an efficient and customer-focused service.”
Jenney added that a fundamental concern surrounds what he described as the lack of proactive government challenge to secure widespread performance improvement at a time when costs continue to spiral out of control.
“The expectation is full cost recovery without any consideration of least total cost approach or any published performance indicators,” he continued. “Whilst the consultation closes in a few weeks, the lack of comprehensive information to inform detailed responses is a major concern.
“We remain committed to assist Defra to secure effective solutions urgently. However it’s time for radical change as the historical approach is unaffordable and simply penalises responsible companies who diligently follow the rules at unaffordable cost.”
Potential solutions discussed
During the session, attendees expressed support for a number of potential solutions to manage costs more effectively. Specifically, the industry advocated for the rapid adoption of control points and an adequate out-of-hours inspection service by officials, which is considered essential prior to the introduction of go-live border inspections later this year.
The swift approval of authorised operator status by ministers was also proposed, allowing responsible businesses to conduct their own inspections.
The FPC emphasised that effective solutions are already available to “radically change the inspection approach” in ways that can improve biosecurity and significantly reduce costs for both the industry and consumers. “Make no mistake we are wasting millions annually,” Jenney stressed.
He also called on government to seize the opportunity presented by proposed civil service improvements. “The government’s announcement to improve civil service performance is a perfect opportunity to adopt a new collaborative approach to official inspections,” he said.
The FPC pledged to continue working closely with Defra to help secure practical and urgently needed solutions. However, Jenney made clear that without radical change and a commitment to greater efficiency, the planned cost increases will remain a significant burden on businesses and consumers alike.
