Mike Parr:

This week’s [6 May] parliamentary session with Baroness Hayman, regarding the industry’s questions in relation to the proposed introduction of plant health border checks for fresh produce and plants was incredibly disappointing. It represented yet another painful example of the government’s failure to understand the critical issues that we face – and seemed to turn a blind eye to the imperative for urgent responses to questions that have been raised.

Throughout the meeting it was evident that despite the upcoming 1 July deadline for the commencement of the required checks, those involved in the logistics concerning the transfer of imported fresh produce have not been provided with any further reassurances or clarity ref key concerns that have been raised on numerous occasions, over the last five months.

Amongst the most important topics which we’d hoped would be discussed were the lack of preparedness at Sevington to deal with the checks; the effective creation of a monopoly at the government border control point which operates on a 24-hour working day, whilst only offering checks at remote HMRC / Defra approved border control posts between 9-5 (which is inconsistent with the needs associated with the time sensitive transfer of food and plant produce); the failure to provide a definitive list of fruits and vegetables deemed to be within the Medium Risk A&B categories which will be subject to the checks; the fact that Common User Charge fees for 2025/26 remain unconfirmed and the ongoing “evaluation” of the Approved Operator Status scheme which companies such as PML Seafrigo invested in as far back as 2023.

Despite the industry, under the leadership of FPC’s Chief Executive Nigel Jenney, regularly advising the government regarding the best way forward and providing viable solutions, here we are less than eight weeks away, still in precisely the same position we were in at the end of December, when the original 1^st January deadline was extended. The repeated mentions that the industry is not ready implies that we are not taking on board the recommendations. Far from it, as a sector we’ve been incredibly agile in our feedback on the proposed checks, repeatedly putting forward well thought out options to ensure a smooth and seamless transition. 

It is the government that is not ready. It is the government that will not listen to the people working at the coalface. It will be the government that is the direct cause of the likely catastrophic hike in food prices based on the lack of availability of essential fresh produce goods.

We need customers to join us in making our voice heard. We need the public to rally against the government’s inertia and constant stalling tactics, especially with regard to the rollout of the Approved Operator Status scheme.

Allow the industry to help fix the problems. Time is running out. We need action NOW.

– Mike Parr, PML Seafrigo CEO

The post Farcical response to questions regarding border checks for fresh produce appeared first on PML.

Mike Parr:

Last Thursday [6 March 2025] I attended a meeting set up by the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) for industry members to discuss with Defra their thoughts on the proposed changes to plant health fees. Specifically, the meeting was designed to enable members to put forward their concerns regarding the impact these changes are likely to have on their business.

Defra’s argument for the increase in fees is that it has been five years since the fees were last refreshed (2019) and this would enable full cost recovery (I.E. the fee increase would cover all the costs associated with the rollout of the scheme including a portion of overhead costs).

The suggested increase is 27 per cent, which represents a significant hike in costs at a time when the industry is already reeling from so many other post-Brexit changes – not least the Common User Charge and monies spent to adapt systems and train staff to manage the required new protocols.

Whilst delegates requested evidence of Defra’s efficiencies to make this increase more palatable, the government line at this point was that limited data is currently available, but information would be released in the near-future.

That would be fine were it not for the fact that the consultation period ends in two weeks’ time, so how is it possible to make an informed response if the data is not forthcoming ahead of the consultation deadline?

This means effectively we are commenting on a matter blind, without the critical facts to hand. Is this really the government’s idea of “working with industry stakeholders”?

In the context of this discussion, a primary point for debate was also an update on the physical and ID inspection fees for European and Rest of World imported goods and how these would be handled.

In a room that was largely filled with importers, it was gratifying to see a unanimous vote in favour of the Approved Operator Scheme (AOS) as the most viable solution to the new required border control checks, which allows eligible trained traders to carry out their own physical and identify checks. Given the fact the PML Seafrigo invested in this training as far back as 2023, this would be welcome news.

The pilot for this initiative was due to run from June to December 2024, with post pilot evaluation scheduled between December 2024 and February 2025. Yet, during this time, PML Seafrigo has been unable to provide the service associated with Approved Operator status.

Early adopters of the scheme such as PML Seafrigo will have waited for over two years post training for the scheme to be rolled out which seems an excessively long period, given the evaluation of the pilot is only allocated three months?

Whilst the room voted a resounding yes to the AOS, the final decision will of course be with the ministerial team. Let’s just hope that this time around they do actually listen to those working at the coalface and that this is not yet another example of the government simply paying lip service.

The post Produce industry votes in favour of Approved Operator Scheme (AOS) appeared first on PML.

The logistics sector is once again reeling following the unexpected announcement on Wednesday (24 January 2024) that a broad range of European fruit and vegetables is to be recategorised from low risk to medium risk – thus necessitating physical inspections at UK border posts.

The news marks yet another U-turn by the UK government which will have a profound impact on those operating in the transfer of perishable fruit and vegetables from Europe into the UK and ultimately, on the availability of fresh produce on the supermarket shelves. We’ve already endured so much chaos at the behest of officials who seem to be either oblivious or simply don’t care regarding the ramifications of their erratic decision making.

In July 2022, I spoke out following the decision to defer the planned checks on European plant and animal produce and sympathised with the news that British ports were contemplating taking legal action after investing heavily in post Brexit border control facilities. Facilities that were then not required when the timelines were changed.

Since then, the proposed physical checks on fresh food and plants coming into the UK has been constantly delayed. The sector responsible for the transfer of perishable goods has been admirably represented by the Fresh Produce Consortium who has worked tirelessly to put forward the industry’s concerns and at the back end of last year, we all thought that finally, we knew where we stood and could plan our business activities accordingly.

Now once again the goal posts have been changed and the industry is in turmoil.

We have not been privy to the risk assessments that have led to those in power to decree that certain fruit and vegetables now represent a medium risk and must therefore be inspected, so remain baffled as to why there has been a complete retraction of all that has been previously debated and agreed.

We are still waiting to understand whether commercial border control points, such as that operated by PML Seafrigo at its Kent logistics and transport hub, will be approved to conduct these inspections.

We do not know if the proposed Authorised Operator Status (AOS) programme – which was designed to enable those with a designated Border Control Post to undertake the appropriate training to perform the planned physical and identity import checks – is going to be rolled out. Our staff were trained 10 months ago.

We remain in the dark as to whether or not the new Border Control Post Common User Charge is applicable to commercial Border Control Posts.

What we do know is that this latest directive will signal major disruption in the supply of fresh fruit and vegetables to the UK. Prices will inevitably be driven up as more European producers take the decision to boycott the UK market due to the unacceptable costs and frankly, pure hassle, associated with exporting to Britain.

We also know that the facility at Sevington is simply not equipped to cope and the resulting queues for drivers trying to access the government Border Control Post will cripple the transport network. And of course, result in perishable goods sitting in transit for lengthy periods which will have a detrimental impact on shelf life.

Furthermore, if the government goes ahead with this system, Sevington is unable to provide the necessary temperature-controlled warehousing facilities or sufficient staff to enable the removal of certain items from a groupage consignment, which means that a whole consignment would be condemned rather than individual items.

The UK is becoming a laughing stock and many producers are simply not interested in working within its ever-changing logistics landscape. And at a time when the whole nation is being encouraged to engage in a healthier lifestyle which includes eating more fresh fruit and vegetables – in part to ease the burden on the NHS – these very items are likely to become less available and more expensive.

PML Seafrigo is prepared and ready for the new inspection regime and we have the capability to offload problematic shipments at our Kent Border Control Post. But we – like others – can only be effective if our questions are answered and if decisions taken are adhered to.

To say we are frustrated is an understatement.

– Mike Parr, PML Seafrigo Director

The post BTOM: Yet another u-turn, how many more? appeared first on PML.