Potato Review

www.potatoreview.com POTATO REVIEW JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 29 BREXIT FOCUS A GREEMENT for third country equivalence from the EU was desperately needed to protect the future of British potato exports to both the EU and Northern Ireland as the Brexit transition period entered its last few weeks. Without it, exporters were staring over the edge of a cli , British Potato Trade Association president Sandy McGowan told an AHDB webinar exploring the impact of a Brexit no-deal. “At the end of the transition period on December 31st 2020 at 11pm UK time, we become a third country. at third country status means we have no access to the EU market, as there is a special clause and annex within the European Commission rules, which seed and ware potatoes fall under, that excludes trade and supply of these products,” he said. To maintain the ability to export into the Opportunities and threats: The changes Brexit is bringing to potatoes Brexit is bringing major changes to the UK potato industry. Some of the threats are clear, but exactly what will come to fruition is still murky. Mike Abram reports. EU, the UK must be approved by the EU as meeting basic standards for sale, mostly around sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and placed on an approved list of third countries able to export potatoes into the EU. NFU’s EU Exit and International trade policy adviser, Emily Roads, said latest guidance from the Government was that equivalency was unlikely to be in place at the start of 2021. “We are pushing the government to prioritise these equivalency applications,” she said. Emily said the process was separate from any trade deal negotiation, although a trade deal would make third country equivalency more likely. But even if both were agreed, there would still be technical disruption. “One thing is certain,” Emily said. “A lot of change is coming.” Short-termplans With the clock running down on gaining third party equivalence, Sandy, who alsomanages Cygnet PEP, which exports around 15%of its annual supply of 28,000t of basic seed potatoes into the EU, was planning delivery of seed potatoes into the EUbefore the end of the transition period. at created both logistical and technical challenges, with the traditional seed packaging not suitable for long-term seed storage and destination customers not always having suitable facilities, he said. “ ere’s a cost-implication, quality deterioration risk, and other rules to abide by. It’s a huge amount of work.” Long-term plans In the longer term, gaining third country equivalence was vital for the whole potato industry, Sandy stressed. ➜