Why is if significant that many poinsettias will be smaller this Christmas?

摘要

Being a protected zone against Bemisia tabaci has meant that up to two-million poinsettias grown in the UK — around three-quarters of the market — could be smaller than usual this winter. This is because German grower Dummen Orange's cuttings were found to be infected with the whitefly just before being sent to the UK, so producers here had to find alternative growers at the last minute. Those growers had to take new cuttings and by the time they arrived with the UK producers they were three weeksbehind their usual growing schedule.Dummen wrote to UK customers on 29 June to tell them all shipments of poinsettia cuttings would be cancelled this year because of Bemisia tabaci. While Dummen took responsibility and stopped exporting to the UK, the Animal & Plant Health Agency intercepted a consignment of Bemi-sia-affected poinsettia from an unspecified source at an unspecified UK inland location on 1 November, demonstrating that the system works to keep the pest out of Britain. After Brexit, the UK has the opportunity to restrict imports even further.