THERE IS a strong desire amongst Europe's farmers to once again be able to import high quality Scottish seed potatoes – a desire strongly reciprocated by Scottish producers – but it needs the UK Government and the EU to sit down together and remove the barriers created by Brexit.

In a bid to break the deadlock that has crippled a trade which both sellers and buyers value, a trio of Scots politicians, representing the constituencies of Stirling, Gordon and Angus, have written to both the UK’s Secretary of State for International Trade, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, and to European Commission vice president Maroš Šefčovič, asking them to give the matter fresh attention.

Alyn Smith MP, Richard Thomson MP and Dave Doogan MP all represent constituencies containing significant farming communities, and in their letters to the two leaders facing off over the Brexit divide, they echoed the concerns of both their constituents and NFU Scotland over the fate of Scotland's famed seed potatoes.

"The high quality of Scottish seed potatoes is reflected in the fact that Scotland grows 75% of the UK’s seed potatoes which are exported to more than 40 countries," the MPs wrote. "It is therefore deeply concerning that since January 2021 Scotland’s farmers have been virtually unable to export seed potatoes to the EU. This is 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.

"As you may know, potatoes grown in Europe are vulnerable to developing diseases which ultimately render the crops unsuitable. Without ready access to an ongoing supply of the disease-free seed potato crop which Scotland can produce, there will be a steady diminution in quality of the potatoes able to be grown in the EU, which will begin to affect EU farmers, food producers and ultimately, consumers as well.”

The MPs stressed to Ms Trevelyan and Mr Šefčovič that all that was standing in the way of this 'mutually beneficial' trade between Scotland and the EU was the failure of Westminster and Brussels to agree. 

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"There is a strong desire amongst farmers and food producers alike in the EU to once again be able to import high quality Scottish seed potatoes. That desire is entirely reciprocated by the Scottish producers, who once again wish to be able to meet that demand. Irrespective as to any other considerations around our long-term trading relations, we believe that there would be an overwhelming mutual benefit for both the UK and the EU if a way could be found to swiftly remove the current barriers to trade in this important sector."

Specifically to Ms Trevelyan, they wrote: "We would urge you to seek to open discussions with the EU as a matter of urgency with a view to re-establishing as quickly as possible a seamless trade in seed potatoes between the UK and EU.”

To Mr Šefčovič, they concluded: "We similarly urge you to look favourably on finding a solution to this matter, by either seeking to engage proactively with the UK Government or by responding favourably to any approach which the UK Government might go on to make."