The Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) has welcomed confirmation from Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) that four flower species imported from the EU will benefit from a reduction in plant health border inspection rates from 3% to 1%, effective from 00:01 on 19 January 2026.
The decision represents a major win for the UK floriculture supply chain and its customers, achieved through the submission of detailed technical evidence by FPC and supported by sustained, constructive engagement with Defra officials. It reinforces the value of the UK’s dynamic, risk-based approach to biosecurity, grounded in strong compliance data and real-world trade performance.
FPC has praised Defra’s pragmatic and evidence-led response, highlighting how effective collaboration between government and industry can reduce unnecessary friction at the border, lower costs across supply chains and deliver tangible benefits for exporters, wholesalers, florists and consumers — while maintaining robust biosecurity protections.
Under the revised arrangements, inspection rates for a number of EU flower species will fall to 1%, significantly easing cost and administrative pressures. Inspection levels for chrysanthemums will remain unchanged at 3%, while FPC has emphasised the importance of resolving outstanding issues relating to lisianthus, which remains under review.
Nigel Jenney, CEO of the Fresh Produce Consortium, stated: “This is a genuinely positive and practical outcome for the industry at a time when many businesses are under real pressure. It shows that when evidence, compliance data and constructive engagement are brought together, proportionate border controls can be delivered that protect biosecurity without unnecessarily burdening trade.
I would also like to thank the British Florist Association for their constructive support throughout this process and for working alongside us in representing the interests of the wider floriculture sector.”
