Seed potato farmers in Scotland left in limbo after EU trade deal reached

Seed potato farmers in Scotland say they need to know “sooner rather than later” when they can resume exporting their products to the EU.

In May, a political agreement between Europe and the UK was reached after crops were banned post-Brexit, which farmers say cost the industry tens of millions of pounds.

Scotland’s seed potatoes are exported worldwide, but until recently, farmers haven’t been able to sell them into the EU.

The multi-million pound industry says a clear timeline is needed quickly if they’re to make the most of the agreement.

Farmer Robert Doig told STV News: “We lost all our European market in Brexit, it went to zero…for those doing business with the EU it was sort of a catastrophe.

“But the EU seed still came in so we lost our market and had another one coming in.

“The seed potato industry has contracted a little bit.”

He says the details of the deal need to come sooner rather than later.

Farmers now predominantly export seed potatoes into North Africa, with Egypt and Morocco the largest export markets.

Scott Walker, chief executive of GB Potatoes, said: “This has been extremely welcome.

“The timing of those details is important to allow farmers to meet the EU’s demand.”

NFU Scotland president Andrew Connon said last month: “This agreement marks a welcome shift towards reducing the red tape and costs that have frustrated Scottish farmers and food exporters for years.

“While details are still emerging, anything that helps restore smoother trade with our largest export market is a positive step.”

He added: “The devil will be in the detail. We need to ensure this works across all sectors – from livestock to seed potatoes and delivers real benefits on the ground.

“The principle of the deal is dynamic alignment with EU policy, but we need to understand what the exceptions might be and how this might work in practice.”

The UK Government say the specifics of the deal will be decided on in the coming months.