NI Protocol: Edwin Poots wants EU pressed on seeds importation rules

Northern Ireland's agriculture minister wants more wheat, barley and potatoes grown locally

Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots has asked the UK government to press the EU to relax rules on importing agriculture seeds to Northern Ireland.

Mr Poots says he wants farmers to grow more cereal crops and potatoes in response to the Ukraine war.

Ukraine and Russia are major exporters of basic foodstuffs, and the war has hit crop production, driving up prices.

The seeds trade comes under the Northern Ireland Protocol and involves an onerous import process.

Mr Poots told the BBC: "We're looking at a situation where we're going to have a shortage of wheat and barley and that will lead to all sorts of problems.

"So I want to see more wheat, barley and potatoes grown in NI.

"You've grace periods on quite a number of things. I want grace periods on seeds and plants products."

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The Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) has previously complained that new inspection and certification processes were limiting the varieties of seed available from Great Britain.

The organisation has also said it was becoming uneconomical to order smaller quantities of seeds.

Under the protocol there is an outright prohibition on moving seed potatoes from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland produces relatively little cereal with agriculture more focused on livestock.

The Republic of Ireland imports about 5.5m tonnes of grain a year, equivalent to 60% of supply

Official figures suggest that in 2020 only about 1% of farms in Northern Ireland were classified as being predominately cereal producers.

The total output of field crops was estimated at £62m, whereas livestock output was estimated at £1.8bn.

Earlier this week, Ireland's minister for agriculture, Charlie McConalogue, had called on farmers to grow more cereal crops.

Ireland imports about 5.5m tonnes of grain a year, equivalent to 60% of supply.

Minister McConalogue said it was fortunate that Ireland was still early in the planting season, providing the opportunity to grow more grain.

However farm organisations have been lukewarm on the proposal.

Tim Cullinan, president of the Irish Farmers' Association, said: "It is far from certain that asking all farmers to plant crops is the best use of the resources that are likely to be available to us."