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Written Question
Seed Potatoes: Scotland
Wednesday 12th January 2022

Asked by: Richard Thomson (Scottish National Party - Gordon)

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the imposition of trade barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK as a result of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement on the (a) proportion and (b) value of the domestic UK market for Scottish seed potatoes.

Answered by Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland

My officials are in regular contact with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for International Trade, who continue to press the EU to reconsider its position, in line with its own regulations, on the import of seed potatoes from Great Britain to the EU.

We fully appreciate the importance of Scotland’s seed potato industry, not only for our production across the UK but also for export, and its deserved reputation for high quality.

Prior to the EU import ban, Scotland exported approximately 20,000t of seed potatoes to the EU and around 2,000t to Northern Ireland, worth in the region of £11M pa. The Scottish potato sector’s output contributes over £208 million to the economy. Scottish seed potatoes are high quality and before the EU ban were exported to more than 40 countries.



Written Question
Seed Potatoes: Scotland
Thursday 16th December 2021

Asked by: Richard Thomson (Scottish National Party - Gordon)

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2021 to Question 73993 on Seed Potatoes: Scotland, what new markets his Department has identified for Scottish seed potato exports which were not previously available.

Answered by Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland

My officials and I fully appreciate the importance of Scotland’s seed potato industry, not only for ware production across the UK but also for export, and its deserved reputation for high quality.

Currently, the Scottish potato sector exports to over 40 countries worldwide, with recent data suggesting that the majority (around 80%) of Scottish seed potato exports already go to countries outside the EU, including Egypt, Morocco, Thailand and Turkey, demonstrating that Scottish seed potato exporters already take advantage of world markets.


Written Question
Seed Potatoes: Scotland
Thursday 18th November 2021

Asked by: Richard Thomson (Scottish National Party - Gordon)

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with representatives of the Scottish seed potato sector.

Answered by Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland

My officials and I are in regular contact with a range of stakeholders from the agricultural sector, including representatives of the Scottish seed potato sector.


Written Question
Seed Potatoes: Scotland
Thursday 18th November 2021

Asked by: Richard Thomson (Scottish National Party - Gordon)

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the impact of leaving the EU on the Scottish seed potato sector; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland

The UK Government is continuously monitoring the agriculture sector and is in regular contact with EU counterparts to help mitigate trade issues, including in relation to seed potatoes.


Written Question
Seed Potatoes: Scotland
Thursday 18th November 2021

Asked by: Richard Thomson (Scottish National Party - Gordon)

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of (a) the Northern Ireland Executive and (b) the Government of Ireland on Scottish seed potato exports.

Answered by Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland

My officials and I are in regular contact with the Northern Ireland Executive on a range of issues including those affecting the agri-food sector, most recently at an Inter-Ministerial Government EFRA meeting.

The UK Government is in regular contact with the Government of Ireland on similar issues.


Written Question
Seed Potatoes: Scotland
Thursday 18th November 2021

Asked by: Richard Thomson (Scottish National Party - Gordon)

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment his Department has made of the contribution to the economy of the Scottish seed potato sector.

Answered by Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland

My officials and I are in regular contact with counterparts from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Scottish Government on a range of issues of importance to the seed potato sector in Scotland, including assessment of the contribution the sector makes to the economy.

The Scottish potato sector’s output contributes over £208 million to the economy. They are exported to over 40 countries worldwide.

The Scottish horticulture and potato sector accounts for a sixth, nearly 17% of Scottish agricultural output by value, despite using less than 1% of Scottish farmland. Scottish agriculture employs over 67,000 people and generates a gross output of £3.3 billion annually, directly resulting in a contribution of some £1.3 billion to the Scottish economy.