PML blasts government for inaction over border checks

The CEO of UK perishable logistics firm PML Seafrigo has published a stinging rebuke to the government following a meeting of the Efra committee this week in which the government refused to confirm whether checks due to come in for medium risk fresh produce imports to the UK will begin as planned on 1 July.

In a statement issued this week, Mike Parr said: “This week’s 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 1st 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.”