Defra ministers offer commitment on parallel imports

Defra ministers have given firm commitments they will address industry concerns over the potential loss of parallel imports and seed treatments.

The NFU has received a letter from farming minister Mark Spencer and Defra secretary Therese Coffey in which both state they are “committed to addressing” both policy issues and will “ensure measures are in place by the end of the year”.

The NFU says it is working with Mr Spencer and the industry to address these “crucial issues” simultaneously – the potential loss of seed treatments for some crops, especially maize, and the withdrawal of permits for the import of parallel plant protection products (PPPs).

See also: Parallel imports of pesticides ‘cliff-edge’ must be avoided, NFU says

Earlier this month, the farming minister confirmed in a letter to the NFU and separately in a response to a parliamentary question that the UK government is “preparing secondary legislation in the autumn” to “extend transitional agreements for the import of treated seeds from the EU and EEA and will include provisions to address the important issue of parallel imports.”

In his letter, the minister said the proposal “is not a permanent solution, but it should provide an immediate response to some of the economic pressure we know growers are facing”.

Parallel trade permits have allowed PPPs to be imported into the UK, sold and used, based on regulatory assessment work done in another EU country.

However, having left the EU, the Health and Safety Executive withdrew parallel trade permits in Great Britain and set a final date for sale of parallel products of 30 June 2023 and a final use date of 30 June 2024.

The NFU had warned of a “cliff-edge scenario” if the government failed to act to extend parallel imports. But the government is expected to extend arrangements on a temporary basis for parallel imports of PPPs, which hold valid parallel trade permits.

The NFU, the Maize Growers Association, Niab, seed companies and the Agricultural Industries Confederation had raised serious concerns about the potential loss of key seed treatments for maize and fodder beet plantings for the 2024 growing season.

But Defra is also looking at options to allow continued access to seed treated in the EU when post-Brexit arrangements end on 1 January 2024.