Gran Bretaña: Major seed potato market could be killed off with no-deal Brexit

A letter circulated to industry stakeholders signed jointly by Defra and Scottish Government has made it clear that exports to EU countries would stop immediately under such circumstances.

It says bluntly: “The European Commission has stated that without an agreement seed potatoes will not be marketable in the EU.”

Annual seed potato exports from Scotland are normally stated as totaling between 70,000 and 80,000 tonnes but critically that does not include the 25,000 to 30,000 tonnes which goes to EU countries with Spain and Ireland the major customers.

Gerry Saddler, chief officer of SASA, the government body which supervises the seed sector said; “The figures are imprecise because for the trade within the EU the seed label on each container is in effect the plant passport. There is no need for a separate phytosanitary certificate.”

To add salt to the wounds of Scottish producers it seems that there are no plans to restrict the flow in the opposite direction. This is apparently because of Defra fears that restricting English growers from accessing primarily Dutch seed would limit their ability to supply UK supermarkets with the varieties they demand.

Dr Saddler said: “ I can see that Defra has worries about food supplies but my big concern is that the voice of the Scottish seed producer is not being taken into account.”