Importers warn that new Brexit checks could cause shortages of food in the UK

Ministers’ decision to impose phytosanitary certifications, plant passports as well as import licences and export certificates. Next month, they will have another form to fill out for animal products, plants and herbs and must pay a “import costs for food would increase by 10% during the first year under the new regime.

Phil Pluck, chief executive of the CCF, wrote to Steve Barclay (environment secretary) to say that, after 2021 when UK exporters were subject to the new rules, many smaller cold-chain UK distributors and warehouses found it too burdensome and stopped operating.

Pluck, who called for border checks to be delayed, said that the new border rules could have “similar effects on European partners as well as UK firms”.

Nigel Jenney is the chief executive of Fresh Produce Consortium. He said that the government failed to recognize that importing food is a rapid and overnight process. Some importers will pay more fees than they earn from shipping food. He claimed that ministers could’ve reduced costs for importers by allowing some to use the 41 “control point” border checks operated privately in the UK. He said that government inspectors would not be available to check fresh food overnight when it is delivered. This forced importers into using Sevington.

We need government officials to service those control points and inspect the hours that our industry operates. This must be done in a few days. We have several major exporters who simply said: “On this basis, UK is too complex to trade with.” I won’t do it’.”

Fresh fruit and vegetables are not included in the new controls, but they will be subject to rules that are expected to take effect by October as part of Boris Johnson’s Brexit agreement. Already there are signs of suppliers of lower-value crops like blueberries and cucumbers sending their products elsewhere.

British farmers warned of a poor harvestthis season, following heavy rain and flooding. This makes the UK more dependent on imported food.

Importing seed potatoes and other crops will be more expensive under the new import controls.

Mike Parr, Director of Logistics Firm PML Seafrigo said: “I believe with all specialised deli products, the Italians and French have said that it is not worth their time with these charges. Poland is one of the biggest blueberry suppliers to the UK, and they’re starting to say it’s no longer worth it. This is already happening. They can make the same money by importing blueberries in Europe, so it doesn’t pay to send them to the UK. “This will only get worst.”

Freddie Heathcote is the managing director of Green and Bloom a wholesaler for flowers and plants. He said he had two options: pay multiple consignments, or group deliveries to save money. This can lead to the loss of a shipment worth up £15,000 if an insect is found in a single plant. He said that if it happened to him three times, he would be in serious trouble.

Stefano Vallebona said that many people don’t wish to deal with this. They say “we don’t like the extra cost so we won’t supply”. The smaller companies will have less interesting products.

The beauty of this country is that the trade was so easy and well-organised. This is a serious problem that will kill many businesses.

A spokesperson for the government said: “We are committed to helping businesses of all sizes adapt to the new border controls. The common user fee is the result of extensive consultations with the industry, with a cap specifically set to assist smaller businesses.

Our world-class border facility will provide vital biosecurity checks in order to protect our food supply and farmers from costly disease outbreaks that enter the UK via the narrow straits.