Growers have voiced concerns over the government's "crippling" proposal to raise plant health fees, calling for a pause and a thorough review to be undertaken first.
Industries bodies have stressed that annual fees could soar from around £6.5m to at least £16m if the proposals go ahead, with 95% of these costs falling on the fruit, vegetable, and plant sectors.
With the consultation on the proposal due to close on 21 March, the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) is leading the call for action to avert the "crippling" costs.
Joined by the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) and the British Potato Trade Association (BPTA), the FPC has sent a joint letter to Defra warning of "devastating consequences" for UK businesses.
While acknowledging the government’s right to recover costs through a full cost recovery model, FPC's chief executive, Nigel Jenney said that “the industry is prepared to pay a fair price for a fair service.”
He highlighted frequent delivery delays and the accompanying extra costs that businesses must shoulder, despite already meeting high food safety standards.
Mr Jenney warned: “The scale of the additional charges means the industry cannot absorb them, meaning shoppers will ultimately pay more at the till.
In terms of the governments failed border strategy, Mr Jenney continued: "We’ve offered highly effective and least cost solutions for years.
"We simply need key control points to be serviced by officials at a time industry needs them not when they wish to arrive often several hours later.
"In addition, immediate adoption of authorised operator status which allows responsible businesses to conduct their own inspections seamlessly.
"The procrastination needs to stop now. otherwise the government will be knowingly responsible for empty shelves and increased food inflation.”
The bodies are urging the government to pause and conduct a thorough review of plant health fees and the border inspection regime before any increases are introduced.
The letter calls for recognition of economic pressures from the budget’s tax and labour cost increases, as well as the significant financial burden caused by the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM).
Greater transparency in cost calculations is also needed, as the data provided in the consultation lacks clarity and does not allow industry stakeholders to assess efficiency or fairness, the letter says.
The HTA’s chief executive, Fran Barnes, emphasised how deeply these proposals could cut into the fresh produce and horticultural sectors.
"The current inspection regime is still creating problems for our members in terms of service levels and transparency of costs," she said.
"To then be faced with an increase in fees for an inconsistent service where we appear to be paying more for less is unacceptable."
Ms Barnes warned that the increase could not come at a worse time due to tax and labour cost increases, coupled with the ongoing challenges of border operations.
"Now, we face a further cost burden that risks harming UK horticulture, fresh produce, and seed potato businesses."
