Plant importers in the UK are warning that persistent border delays and mishandling at the Sevington inspection post in Kent are causing higher costs, supply disruptions, and damage to live plant shipments from the EU. The post, built to conduct sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) checks on animal and plant products after Brexit, has become a bottleneck. Importers report waiting days for inspections, with estimated extra costs of about £200 per load and frequent plant damage during unloading and reloading.
These issues are particularly severe for perishable goods such as bedding plants and cut flowers. For instance, a shipment of olive trees from Italy was delayed for five days, while others arrived with broken branches and uprooted pots. Traders say that such problems are undermining their reliability and discouraging EU suppliers from continuing deliveries to the UK.
Costly Maintenance Yet May Pose a “Trade Barrier”
The facility costs £23 million annually to operate, with importers also paying SPS-related “common user charges”. Industry bodies like the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) argue that an SPS agreement with the EU—currently part of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s “reset” plan and not expected before 2027—is essential to eliminate these barriers.
Implications for Global Plant Buyers & Suppliers
- Buyers should expect continued volatility in UK horticultural supply chains, with higher costs likely being passed downstream.
- EU and non-EU suppliers may find it increasingly unattractive to serve the UK market without clear improvements in border efficiency.
- Strategic sourcing diversification—including local production or alternative logistics routes—will be key to mitigating Brexit-related trade friction.
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