Potato Review

www.potatoreview.com POTATO REVIEW JULY/AUGUST 2021 25 WASTE UTILISATION L ast year, many potato growers were faced with surplus old- season potatoes owing to a loss of demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic. In July, AHDB opened its existing portal, which helps put potato growers and wholesale buyers in touch with each other, to AD operators, to nd ways of utilising waste. It also shared a link to the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association’s map of AD plants, to help match operators with growers. ose operating on-farm anaerobic digestion (AD) are now faced with a new challenge. On-farm operators know how important the smooth running of their combined heat and power (CHP) engine is to the overall success of their business, with many growers often spending tens of thousands of pounds each year on maintaining and servicing engines. Having ready access to critical CHP spare parts such as spark plugs and lters from genuine manufacturers is an essential part of successful AD operation, but with many leading providers of CHP components based in Europe, getting hold of quality spares at short notice has become more di cult this year, thanks to a combination of Covid-19 and Brexit. According to a survey by the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS), 45% of rms have experienced delays getting goods into the UK from the EU since the beginning of the year, citing new Brexit New AD challenges Brexit border delays impact on on-farm AD plant running. custom requirements and additional Covid-19 protocols as the main causes of delay, and there are fears that border disruptions will only intensify in coming months, as the volume of goods being imported into the UK increases. A total of 17% of respondents admitted they were currently importing less than usual owing to stockpiling ahead of the Brexit deadline. Once this stock has depleted, tra c will increase, and further delays and stock shortages are expected. Increased red tape James ompson, Managing Director of gas engine support specialist Gen-C, said the red tape now involved was causing a number of di culties. He said: “On-farm AD operators rely heavily on quality components from European manufacturers such as Motortech to keep their engines running smoothly. e new Brexit custom requirements mean that a grower looking to import spares from Germany, for example, must now follow multiple steps. “First, they need to ll in an online form and apply to HMRC for an EORI number that starts with GB. en, they must nd out the commodity code and value for the goods they want to import and include this on their import declaration. is will determine the rate of duty and VAT they need to pay and whether they need an import licence. “Next, they must check the labelling, marking and marketing rules before attempting to get their goods through customs. If they’ve appointed someone to deal with UK customs on their behalf, this representative can make the declaration and get the goods through the UK border. If not, they will have to make an import declaration and get the goods cleared by UK customs themselves.” If businesses are VAT registered, they can apply to claim back any VAT paid on the goods imported, for which they will need an Import VAT Certi cate (C79). If they paid the wrong amount of duty or rejected the goods, they will need to claim a refund on import duties or make a claim for rejected imports. It will be imperative to keep records of all commercial invoices and any customs paperwork. Easing the burden James said it can seem like a lot of hard work when something like a box of CHP spark plugs is needed and this is where companies like his are o ering an alternative. “UK agents for European manufacturers are perfectly placed to shoulder the bureaucratic burden on behalf of their customers, buying in bulk and in advance to ensure that a ready supply of quality European components is immediately available to on-farm AD operators with no red tape, whenever they need it,” said James. “AD operators can maintain their engine’s performance while avoiding border delays, additional costs and bureaucratic red tape.” “On-farm AD operators rely heavily on quality components from European manufacturers.” James Thompson.