A UK apple firm has revealed off the record to FPJ that the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is trying to strip it of £5,000 for failing to import enough non-EU grown apples.

On February 1, 2006, an import licence requirement was introduced whereby apple importers were forced to pay €15 a tonne for all product sourced from outside the EU.

Licences are valid for three months from their date of issue, but have to be used up effectively. “Unfortunately, last year we failed to meet the required tonnage level for the licence,” said the source. “We then sought to assign our licence to another importer, but for various reasons they could not use it.

“The RPA is now trying to strip us of £5,000 for this completely victimless crime. I have written two letters to the RPA now explaining our position, but the body is clearly not prepared to show any leniency and although we have been allowed to appeal the decision, this option was not offered to us - we have had to fight for it, and many other firms would have given up.

“We made significant efforts to use up our licences, but the fresh produce industry being as dynamic as it is, often importers are required to source product from different regions at short notice, as growing and local market conditions allow.

“Our licence was also issued shortly after the regime’s introduction, another mitigating circumstance which we feel means the RPA should show some leniency to us or other companies who may have lost out as a result,” added the importer.

Topics