New requirements for the importation of tomato and pepper plants for planting in the UK have been introduced in relation to viroids. However, it has been recognized that it may not have been possible for the new import requirements to be met in full by exporting countries. In order to ensure a continued supply of young pepper and tomato plants in GB, Defra announces to accept an alternative declaration on phytosanitary certificates as follows:
Plants were planted before March 1, 2024, and
(aa) staff and items such as tools, machinery, vehicles, vessels, and packaging material from other sites producing solanaceous plants and other host plants of Pepper chat fruit viroid (or Citrus exocortis viroid, Columnea latent viroid, Pepper chat fruit viroid or Tomato planta macho viroid, as appropriate) have been prevented from coming into contact with the site, or
(bb) other appropriate hygiene measures have been taken to prevent infection by staff working or items used at other sites producing solanaceous plants and other host plants of Pepper chat fruit viroid (or Citrus exocortis viroid, Columnea latent viroid, Pepper chat fruit viroid or Tomato planta macho viroid, as appropriate).
Please note that statutory action may be taken against consignments of plants for planting of Capsicum spp. and Solanum lycopersicum L. accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate without the additional declarations as set out in legislation, for plants planted on or after March 1, 2024. This alternative additional declaration will not be accepted for any consignments despatched after April 26, 2024.
Citrus exocortis viroid, Columnea latent viroid, Pepper chat fruit viroid, and Tomato planta macho viroid have all been GB provisional quarantine pests since 2021, and as such, their detection would have resulted in action being taken on the consignment or on production sites. This will continue to be the case while the alternative additional declaration stated above is being accepted. Monitoring of tomato and pepper fruit production nurseries will be carried out as normal to ensure freedom from these pests and other GB quarantine pests that affect these crops.