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Seeds: Imports

Asked by Ben LakePlaid CymruDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled Answered 4 June 2026UIN 2217

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the amount of seeds imported into the UK from EU countries was by weight in each year since 2020.

Answered by Dame Angela Eagle

This is the volume (kgs) of notifiable seed from EU countries declared to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) based on risk categorisation:

  • 2025: 18,899,370.21
  • 2024: 9,235,173.43
  • 2023: 10,551,652.02
  • 2022: 16,197,085.56
  • 2021: 7,905,863.80
  • 2020: TBC

There are known data quality issues with the weights on the import of products, animals, food and feed system (IPAFFS) notification. For example, the commodity net weight on the application may not be the total weight of the consignment but could be the weight per package.

The information provided is a true reflection of the information which APHA has access to. APHA relies on the information that is entered on the systems by a third party. APHA completes checks on accuracy as part of identity checks.

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