Inspection cost hike blasted by growers

The Fresh Produce Consortium has slammed plans to increase statutory charges for plant health inspections on fresh produce and cut flowers.

Fera – the Food and Environment Research Agency – is seeking to recover the full costs of its statutory services to businesses as a result of new government policy.

The proposals would result in a 103% increase in fees for seed potato certification, a 111% rise in fees for inspections for plant passports and a 113% to 312% rise in fees for plant health licensing and services.

This would amount to “an extortionate escalation in charges”, said FPC chief executive Nigel Jenney. Some sectors of the industry would struggle to absorb the costs even if they were phased in over three years and there was a risk trade would be pushed elsewhere in Europe as Britain became less competitive, he added.