Livestock transfer faces disruption after Portsmouth border plan is scrapped

The National Farmers' Union (NFU) has warned imports and exports of live animals will be disrupted after 1 July following news that Portsmouth International Port has scrapped plans to build a live animal border control post (BCP).

Owners Portsmouth City Council said the government had provided insufficient funding for the £7m project which had been intended to support vets in the import of livestock for breeding.

Live animal BCPs will be set up at other ports, the government explained, with infrastructure normally funded by the ports themselves.

A government spokesman said: "A number of UK BCPs will be designated for live animal imports including Dover, Sevington (Eurotunnel) and Holyhead, which are the ports with the highest volumes of animal imports from the EU."

According to NFU statistics, the UK imports around £10m of sheep, pigs, cattle and goats per year. The trade is said to be worth more than £10m to the UK farming sector.

NFU chief livestock advisor John Royle said: “Currently there is no facility in the UK available to British farmers to export and import of livestock from the EU.

“We are looking for a reciprocal facility both in the UK and Europe to enable the inward and outward route for breeding animals to the EU.

“We understand that a number of EU ports are facing wider challenges so have not considered BCP facilities for live animals thus far, we are already facing a backlog for exports. We had hoped to use Portsmouth as an alternative and complementary crossing to the short straits due to facilities available at the Normandy ports.

“As it stands there are no options for British farmers for import of high-value trade to meet changes coming into force from July.”

Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, leader of Portsmouth City Council added: “It is with regret we are unable to continue building the live animal facility. We want to do our bit to support British farming, but a local authority cannot be expected to foot the bill for government required infrastructure, which they should be responsible for funding.

“We will continue to lobby and support British farming in their efforts to secure a UK facility.”

Mike Sellers, Portsmouth International Port’s director said: “There is sympathy in government for the requirement of a facility, it is appreciated we are a strategically important port.

“However, with funding not even covering the costs for the main border control post, which needs to be in place to meets goods coming through, we sadly cannot continue with other projects, including the live animal facility.

“We are not alone. The ports industry has highlighted the overall shortfall in funding for essential government infrastructure. There are concerns about the viability for ports to be ready by July and we are asking for a period of transition and an agreement to reduce our project scope.”