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Trade bodies across the supply chain have urged the government to create a compensation scheme for losses incurred due to the French border closure.
Heads of food organisations – including the Food and Drink Federation, the Fresh Produce Consortium, the UK Food and Drink Exporters Association and the Chilled Food Association – have written an open letter to George Eustice, environment secretary, and Grant Shapps, transport secretary, calling for immediate action for businesses caught up in the blockade.
Calamitous decision
“The decision of the French authorities – to ban accompanied freight on 20 December 2020 – after the announcement by the UK government of the new strain of virus has caused a calamity for many food and drink businesses,” said the letter.
The continued export of UK meat, fish and dairy to Europe has been confirmed, but industry says ‘crucial information’ has yet to be provided, which is hindering Brexit preparation.
The UK has secured ‘national listed status’ in time for Christmas. Earlier today, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced that the UK’s Third Country status means live animals and products of animal origin – such as meat, fish and dairy – can continue to be exported to Europe.
The status was confirmed by the EU after it met the health and biosecurity assurances required for a third country. The decision will also allow the continued movement of equines between the UK and the EU.
By Henry Sandercock2020-12-24T12:22:00+00:00
Concerns are said to remain over a lack of detail in the agreement and its exclusion of seed potato exports – a lucrative source of income for Scottish growers in particular
Industry bodies have welcomed news of the EU’s decision to grant third country status to the UK, a move which came as the UK was poised to sign a trade deal with the EU on Christmas Eve.
However, concerns remain over the lack of detail in the announcement and its exclusion of the seed potato industry – a lucrative source of income for growers.
Clearing the backlog of lorries stuck in Dover after the French travel ban could have a huge impact on the British food industry
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Updated: 15:02, 23 December 2020
The chaos in Dover brought on by the French travel ban could have a knock-on effect on supermarket shelves even after Christmas.
That s according to industry newspaper The Grocer, which found the situation we are currently seeing will affect the availability of perishables like fruit, vegetables, meat and fish if delays continue and represents what a worst case scenario Brexit could look like.
The cross-channel chaos will have a knock-on effect on the food supply chain. Picture: John Westhrop