According to Defra, the British Ministry of Agriculture, the UK deadline for using peat-free substrates may be advanced from 2030 to 2026. It is still unclear whether this deadline will also affect imported products.
A professional peat ban making peat-free cultivation mandatory will become effective in the UK in 2026. Until that time, Defra allows growers and substrate suppliers to experiment with suitable peat-free substrates. Beyond the deadline, exceptions may still be granted for young plants in plugs of up to 150 ml, among other products.
British sector organisations and growers are taken aback by the Ministry’s plans, claiming they are “unachievable or even harmful”. Chairman James Barnes of the Horticultural Trade Association (HTA) stresses their full cooperation in attaining the 2030 deadline, saying that “it is challenging but workable. The sudden announcement that 2026 will be the new deadline for this objective feels random and is causing panic and worries in the sector.”