The lion's share of the poinsettias imported into the UK are produced in the Netherlands. For years, the export of this product to the UK has been problematic; issues with white fly, stricter controls, and increasingly more administrative obligations. This year is the first season after Brexit, and this too is causing additional headaches.
Now, however, news reaches us that since this weekend, no poinsettias can cross the channel. There has been a total halt, and that while there are literally millions ready to go.
Both the Dutch auction and a Dutch grower were able to confirm this to us, but the exact reason is guesswork. Disagreement between the NVWA and Defra, so they say, but at the time of writing, we have not yet been able to get clarity on this. To be continued.