A campaign to restore access to the export markets in the EU and NI for Scottish seed potatoes continues, with an MP saying the new government must now engage in a 'meaningful way'.
Prior to the UK leaving the European Union, Scottish seed potatoes were a crucial import for markets in the continent.
More than 75 percent of Britain's seed potato exports comes from Scotland, with the country exporting seed to 18 EU countries in 2020/21.
However, since January 2021, Scottish farmers have been unable to export seed potatoes to the bloc, including Northern Ireland, because of changes in trade regulations.
The barriers have been put in place despite there being no change to the domestic UK plant health requirements for seed potatoes dating from when the UK exited from the EU on this date, or indeed any reduction in the quality of the product itself.
The UK government has announced an extension to the Trader Support Service (TSS) which helps businesses navigate changes to the way goods are now exported to Northern Ireland.
However, Scottish seed potato producers are still banned from exporting to that part of the UK.
Richard Thomson MP, who is leading efforts to restore access, said there was a fresh opportunity following the appointment of Ranil Jayawardena as new Defra Secretary.
Mr Thomson, who is MP for Gordon, said the new government must engage with the EU in 'a meaningful way' and restore the export markets for Scottish seed potatoes.
“I have therefore written to the Secretary of State, Ranil Jayawardena, asking him to explore new ways in which this can be achieved," he said.
"One way could involve mirroring the arrangement made for certain locations in Canada to export to named countries within the EU, which my research tells me was achieved in 2000.
“If it can be achieved for parts of the Canadian provinces, then it can be achieved for Scottish seed potato exporters."
