The DUP MP said,
“The challenges facing the horticulture trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain continue, and it is clear the barriers initially created by the Northern Ireland Protocol continue to harm businesses, suppliers, and consumers. The current system creates significant delays, increased costs, and reduced availability of products for local horticultural businesses and the wider public.
Progress has been made through the establishment of the Horticulture Working Group and the new NI Plant Health Label, but we need to see more comprehensive solutions, particularly when faced with rising costs in the future which will only damage trade further, simply complaining about these issues is not enough, work must continue to get them resolved.
Evidence from the Horticultural Trade Association to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee was damning and cannot be swept under the carpet. There is a continuing ban on 30 native plants and species altogether. Online and mail order sales are still not possible and these all lead to higher costs for businesses and consumers. This is not a Unionist / Nationalist issue, buyers and traders of all backgrounds are impacted.
It’s time there was more urgency displayed by the Government to finally protect the UK internal market.
The establishment of Intertade UK was a positive move, with a body now focused on identifying and removing barriers to trade within the United Kingdom. This is a clear example of those barriers and where people in Northern Ireland are being punished as a result.
We will continue to build on progress and fight to fully restore Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom, including removing the application of EU law in our country and the problems it creates.”