Author Topic: Seeds from UK to Ireland and Europe  (Read 8701 times)

Obelixx

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Seeds from UK to Ireland and Europe
« on: December 03, 2020, 15:21:55 »
This is a reminder to all forum members living in NI, Eire and mainland Europe that, as of December 31st, it will no longer be possible to order seeds from the UK.   Seed companies will have to organise a phytosanitary certificate for each shipment and that will take about 2 weeks and cost £150 per shipment.

I have received a mail from Premier Seeds explaining this and saying they will happily process orders as long as they can be despatched by December 23rd so if, like me, you can't find seeds for things like purple sprouting broccoli, cavolo nero, interesting chillies and quite a lot of perennial flowering plants, get you orders in soon. 


 
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BarriedaleNick

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Re: Seeds from UK to Ireland and Europe
« Reply #1 on: December 03, 2020, 16:35:04 »
I will of course just switch to ordering from within the EU regardless - anywhere in the EU will do.  Of course this will also apply to people ordering from the UK if they use EU based seed stores and there are some seed shops that never shipped outside the UK anyway (DT Brown??).  Unless there is a comprehensive deal at some point then it is what it is although there are online shops that are based in both locations so should be able to ship and some haven't said what their plans are yet.. 
It's a bit of a pain but I think with a bit of shopping around I will get what I want - https://www.organicseeds.eu seems to have kale and PSB while https://www.jelitto.com seems to have all the flower seed I could ever need.  There are lots of other sites
https://tuinzaden.eu
https://www.sementesvivas.bio
https://newseeds.es

Good job I stocked up before I left the UK!!
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galina

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Re: Seeds from UK to Ireland and Europe
« Reply #2 on: December 03, 2020, 17:58:41 »
https://www.samenhaus.de/

A seed company that carries many seeds from a lot of other seed companies from several EU countries, including Reinsaat, Franchi etc.  They even do PSB!  And turnips, another veg that is far better known in UK.  :wave:

Obelixx

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Re: Seeds from UK to Ireland and Europe
« Reply #3 on: December 03, 2020, 18:24:54 »
Thanks for those.  They've never come up in my google searches for PSB.  I do approve of phytosanitary controls.  Just look at what is happening to olive groves in Spain and Italy.  Not be long before it hits France and Greece and it's devastating for the people who lose their entire olive plantations.

Turnips are easy to find here as seed and the veg are usually sold quite small and therefore juicy for doing traditional dishes such as navarin of lamb.   I very nearly bought some today to have with our roast shoulder of lamb on Sunday but then remembered my daughter is cooking it Korean style with spices and a crust.   

I've even seen swede on sale here.  Horrid stuff.
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BarriedaleNick

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Re: Seeds from UK to Ireland and Europe
« Reply #4 on: December 03, 2020, 18:45:37 »
No swede or parsnips here but turnips are very popular..  Most of your standard veg is available though but nothing fancy - mind you we haven't been to the big weekly market in Rio Maior which looks fabulous.  Lamb is a bit rare or maybe not in season but what I have seen is tiny.  Mutton is nice though and I made a lovely stew last week that will last for days...
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ed dibbles

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Re: Seeds from UK to Ireland and Europe
« Reply #5 on: December 03, 2020, 20:08:38 »
I thought seeds did not need a phytosanitary certificate. I have ordered seeds from the USA before without a problem. Their website (Bakers Creek) clearly states that seeds dont need certification - only plants. :happy7:

Obelixx

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Re: Seeds from UK to Ireland and Europe
« Reply #6 on: December 03, 2020, 20:28:43 »
Sorry, but they're wrong.   Any plant material entering the UK from outside the EU must have a phyosanitary certificate and from Jan 1st that will include the EU countries.  The rules apply to private buyers and commercial concerns too.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/importing-plants-fruit-vegetables-or-plant-material-to-the-uk
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Digeroo

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Re: Seeds from UK to Ireland and Europe
« Reply #7 on: December 04, 2020, 05:38:01 »
You can personally bring is a small number of seed unopened packets from USA for personal use.  My daughter had done it for me.  I was given a free packet and it had to be thrown.  Unfortunately she chose the wrong packet.  My favourite site does not even now open to UK computers, so I cannot even order and send to a USA address anymore. 
I do know that Franchi UK are struggling with the regulations.   

Digeroo

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Re: Seeds from UK to Ireland and Europe
« Reply #8 on: December 04, 2020, 06:09:23 »
Brassica seeds live a very long time especially in the freezer.  Cavola Nero would be available from Franchi.  And you will have to perhaps save your own PSB seeds though not if you want F1 varieties.  With Russian Kale I let the best few plants seed.  Never been without it.  It just pops up.  I am hoping for a Russian Kale/PSB cross to turn up.  Had a few Russian Kale/Red Mustards, but they do not produce viable seed. 

pumkinlover

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Re: Seeds from UK to Ireland and Europe
« Reply #9 on: December 04, 2020, 07:35:53 »
I was wondering about the Franchi seeds as they have such a good choice and are good seeds. Hopefully, they will still be available.

BarriedaleNick

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Re: Seeds from UK to Ireland and Europe
« Reply #10 on: December 04, 2020, 08:37:36 »
https://www.samenhaus.de/

That's a great site - I'm sure Ill be ordering from them at some point.  Good range and lots of familiar stuff with some unfamiliar varieties too.
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galina

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Re: Seeds from UK to Ireland and Europe
« Reply #11 on: December 04, 2020, 08:45:42 »
I thought seeds did not need a phytosanitary certificate. I have ordered seeds from the USA before without a problem. Their website (Bakers Creek) clearly states that seeds dont need certification - only plants. :happy7:
They also state very clearly that any losses in customs will not be refunded and that many packages have been impounded.  You may be lucky with a small seed order, but only because they do not check every tiny envelope.  :BangHead:

galina

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Re: Seeds from UK to Ireland and Europe
« Reply #12 on: December 04, 2020, 08:51:31 »
I was wondering about the Franchi seeds as they have such a good choice and are good seeds. Hopefully, they will still be available.
  Real Seeds who cooperate with ReinSaat of Austria have warned a little time ago that they will have huge problems importing seeds.  Franchi who are selling Italian produced seeds will have the same problem on a larger scale.  Stockpiling ahead of Brexit will I am sure make it possible to buy their seeds for a while, but what happens after is anybody's guess.  Buy ahead and stick in the freezer in an airtight jar like Digeroo suggested. 

On the other hand if this phytosanitary certificate is per shipment and say a shipment consists of 1500 seed packets, then the extra cost to the end customer in UK per packet would only be 10p.  A relatively small price rise.  I think Franchi sell way more than 1500 seed packets given their popularity.  It may be far less of a problem for the larger companies than the small ones like Realseeds. 
  :wave:

« Last Edit: December 04, 2020, 09:23:32 by galina »

Digeroo

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Re: Seeds from UK to Ireland and Europe
« Reply #13 on: December 04, 2020, 09:22:29 »
Franchi have been operating in the UK for quite a number of years.  But I cannot remember them before that.  I bought some of their seeds in Italy before they were available here and enjoyed getting more seeds for the money.
The Guy who runs it did a Zoom talk a while ago and he speaks English without an Italian accent. 
They will have to pay to register their seeds here, so I expect their prices to go up.   My husband is not happy about all the seeds bunging up the freezer.
I would expect them to be sensible and to have shipped next years supplies already. 

BarriedaleNick

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Re: Seeds from UK to Ireland and Europe
« Reply #14 on: January 26, 2021, 09:37:16 »
So Franchi seeds will no longer ship to the EU as they are UK based.
"We deeply regret that due to brexit, we can no longer send seeds to any EU country or to Northern Ireland."
The same goes both ways for all seed sellers - so I cannot order from the UK which is a minor pain and most of you guys can't order from the EU..

However there does seem to be some hope. 

"For other seed and propagating material the EU have indicated that they intend to grant bilateral equivalence for fruit and vegetable propagating material following a vote in the PAFF committee and they also intend to progress with a Council Decision for agricultural species and forest reproductive material. At this stage we do not have confirmation of timings, but we will continue to press for further details"

I take it to mean that normal service will be resumed? 
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Obelixx

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Re: Seeds from UK to Ireland and Europe
« Reply #15 on: January 26, 2021, 14:06:26 »
I wouldn't hold your breath Barriedalenick.  The Dutch export billions of euros worth of fruit, veg and plants and a lot of that goes to the UK so I would expect moves to protect that market but it will involve health certificates on an industrial scale and not for small parcels of a few seeds.

Fortunately, there are plenty of seed and plant companies in the EU who can supply our needs over here.  Have a look a these

https://www.asklepios-seeds.de/gb/vegetable-seeds.html
https://www.graines-baumaux.fr/
Obxx - Vendée France

Digeroo

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Re: Seeds from UK to Ireland and Europe
« Reply #16 on: February 02, 2021, 20:51:42 »
Franchi seeds come from Italy, so I would expect you folks now living in the EU should be able to order direct, rather than through the UK company which is called Seeds of Italy.
There is a lot of bad feeling between the EU and the UK at the moment so I am not sure where that will lead. 
The Dutch for example have caused upset by confiscating lorry drivers ham sandwiches, and enjoying laughing about it. 

BarriedaleNick

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Re: Seeds from UK to Ireland and Europe
« Reply #17 on: February 02, 2021, 22:34:00 »
I spoke to Seeds of Italy and they said
"The UK is no longer in the EU and we are based in Harrow where I work and live. We have no outlets in any other countries and we are only the UK importer and distributors.  We can’t ship the seeds to Italy because of brexit, it is no longer possible."

They said they would see if Franchi had a local outlet but they didn't get back to me.

Ham sandwiches are in fact not allowed to cross the border either anymore - In fact the Gov specifically warns drivers against it. The new reality dawns..
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Obelixx

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Re: Seeds from UK to Ireland and Europe
« Reply #18 on: February 03, 2021, 10:24:08 »
Meat products of any kind are not allowed without the proper certificates.    Even before Brexit there were restrictions on how much and what could be taken in and out.   Friends of mine bought jars of cassoulet on a pre Covid visit but had to leave them behind as they wouldn't get on their flight home.

There are any number of seed companies in the EU with a range of seeds to match Franchi/Seeds of Italy.  This German company has a good range and an English version of its catalogue - https://www.asklepios-seeds.de/gb/vegetable-seeds.html

This organisation - https://kokopelli-semences.fr/fr/ - does heritage seeds and is dedicated to keeping old varieties in cultivation.
Obxx - Vendée France

BarriedaleNick

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Re: Seeds from UK to Ireland and Europe
« Reply #19 on: February 03, 2021, 12:21:48 »
Also just found https://gardenseedsmarket.com which seems to sell virtually everything.
I don't need to order from the UK but it is interesting that certain companies are shipping here to the EU...
https://www.thompson-morgan.com/delivery seems to suggest they are still doing so
same with https://www.organiccatalogue.com/delivery-information/

Maybe they haven't updated their pages or maybe they have distribution centers in the EU.

I still wont be ordering from the UK due to the delays and uncertainties though
Moved to Portugal - ain't going back!

 

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