Nigel Jenney, Chief Executive of the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) has condemned the UK government’s post-Brexit border solution,
“The Government has single handily created the world’s most inefficient and expensive border,” stated Jenney. “This once in a lifetime opportunity has been squandered and we now await Government enforced consequences for both businesses and consumers”.
“The UK government has ignored our extensive advice on how to streamline border processes,” Jenney continued. “Instead, they’ve created a strategy that is both incompetent and hugely expensive. This will drive up costs for our sector, which will ultimately be passed on to consumers already struggling with the rising cost of living.”
“We’ve offered workable solutions for years, but the government has procrastinated and shown total incompetence,” continued Jenney.
“To avoid this self-made crisis, we recently proposed a handful of inspectors at key points to support the EU trade; a solution perfectly suited to our just-in-time, perishable goods industry. Yet, this was rejected outright.”
The Fresh Produce Consortium urges the government to make official inspections available at appropriate hours and ensure a border strategy that guarantees food security at a reasonable cost for both industry and consumers.
“We have become the laughing stock of Europe,” concluded Jenney