Delays to a post-Brexit regulatory regime for agri chemicals are adding costs for agri-supply businesses and making it harder for farmers to plan cropping rotations.
The Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) has today (7 June) warned that the wait for the government to implement its regulatory regime means businesses face added costs and a lack of confidence.
Speaking to the BBC today, it explained that since Brexit, plant protection product (PPP) manufacturers now pay similar fees to access the GB market as they do in the EU market, where these fees in theory can be recouped across 27 member states.
Since 1 January 2021, Britain has operated a pesticide regulatory regime independent of the EU. But under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement and Northern Ireland Protocol, EU pesticide legislation continues to apply in NI.
AIC's head of crop protection, Hazel Doonan, said to the BBC: "This could mean some products become uneconomic to support in GB as the market is too small. The horticulture sector is particularly vulnerable to this.
"Also when the UK left the EU the renewal dates for active substances in pesticides were extended by up to three years and in April 2023 these dates were extended further by up to 5 years to allow the regulator time to develop an active substance renewal programme."
She explained that, meanwhile, the EU continues its assessments - either renewing or withdrawing active substances as they come around for renewal.
"This means the timing of renewal of active substances has diverged between the EU and GB since EU Exit," Ms Doonan told the broadcaster.
"This will increase costs for manufacturers and together the increase of fees for active substance approval means we don’t know if manufacturers will support their products when the active substance renewal programme is developed."
Adding to the uncertainty is the delay in the publication of the National Action Plan for the Sustainable Use of Pesticides, which aims to increase the uptake of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and sustainable crop protection.
According to AIC, the development of the GB pesticide regime will go hand in hand with the National Action Plan - a consultation on the draft plan closed in February 2021 and publication was expected in 2022.
However, the government has repeatedly delayed its publication, most recently due to the upcoming general election, on 4 July 2024.
Ms Doonan said it's now likely that publication of the plan would be delayed further, especially if a new government chooses to review the plan.
She added: "Currently the industry isn’t clear how the active substance renewal programme and other aspects of the GB pesticide regime will operate in terms of processes and timings.
"The delay means continued unpredictability around pesticide availability and cost. Planning crop rotations and deciding how weeds, pests and diseases can be controlled to ensure crops meet end-market requirements and produce a profitable yield is increasingly difficult for farmers and agronomists.
"AIC is keen that the pesticide regime moves forward quickly to help the industry plan for the future."
