Ireland is capitalising on Europe’s ban on Scottish seed tattie imports while farmers here lose out, the UK Government has been told.
In a letter to UK farming minister, Victoria Prentice, North-east MP Richard Thomson warned the “clock is ticking” for Scottish seed potato exports following the Irish Government’s decision to bankroll a €3 million scheme to ramp up production of their own seed.
Scottish seed has been excluded from EU markets since Brexit – which , under the Northern Ireland protocol, includes a ban on exports to the traditional market of Northern Ireland.
Mr Thomson said: “We were told there would be huge benefits to agriculture from Brexit.
“In this case, the benefits are entirely flowing to seed potato growers in Ireland as their government recognises a Brexit opportunity and has stepped-up to inject a €3 million boost to their own farmers and growers.”
He said the move was an entirely predictable response from the Irish Government – and highlighted the fact that it took farming seriously – and recognised an opportunity to benefit its farmers when it saw it:
“The difficulty is that this UK Government has taken its eye off the ball,” added Mr Thomson.
“It was already distracted by the poor behaviour of its Prime Minister and is now consumed with the contest to see who will succeed him.
“I have again written to Defra on the subject and stated in my letter to Farming Minister Victoria Prentis that the clock is ticking and if action is not taken soon then there may be no going back to established markets such as Ireland because they will have developed their own domestic capacity.”
When Irish Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue announced the details of the scheme he said the move presented a timely opportunity for the Irish seed potato sector to develop capacity and expand to ensure a reliable supply of domestically produced high grade seed potato material.
The scheme will accelerate development of capacity within the sector and aid improvements in the production, storage and marketing infrastructure of seed potatoes by providing grant assistance to producers towards the capital cost of specialized equipment and facilities.