Date: 26 Mar 1999 13:21:31 Z From: Loyd Wix <Loyd.Wix@unilever.com> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg943$foo@default> Subject: The Train to Boissey St-Leger + Trade within Europe
Dear All,
many thanks to Gilles for his posting on the Lecoufle
nursery. It brought back memories of almost 10 years ago
when I spent Easter of 1989 in Paris. Having heard of
Lecoufles nursery and realising it was not far from Paris, I
too found myself on the train to Boissey St-Leger. Having
arrived at their reception I was amazed by the plants
although hardly any were CPs just a couple of large
Nepenthes if my memory serves me right. There were huge
stags horns ferns hanging from the ceiling which were over
1m in diameter and loads of orchid.
Speaking to the ladies in the establishment it soon became
clear that they knew little about CPs but if I was prepared
to wait a while they would find some one who could. Sure
enough after about 15 minutes Marcel Lecoufle himself turned
up - an elderly gentleman he must have been into his 80's!
None the less he was very hospitable and took me through his
greenhouses so I got to see plenty of CPs that was a real
eye opener back in the late '80s - things like Heliamphora
minor, huge Cephalotus and I will always remember row after
row of juvenile Sarracenia. His book was also available
(French version) and again for the time the photographs were
great. All in all I had a very memorable trip back in '89 so
thank you Gilles for jogging my memory.
A few year later I understood that Marcels daughters were
running the business and their main interest were the
orchids. Without the involvement of Marcel himself the CP
activities went into decline.
Andrew Bate wrote:
>Can anyone enlighten me on any restrictions on posting CP's
>from the UK to Europe and the US? I am currently only
>sending CP's within the UK but would like to widen my range
>of sales but I am unsure on CITES regulations. If anyone
>could clarify the situation for me it would be greatly
>appreciated.
Even 10 years ago I was permitted to bring plants back from
Lecoufles nursery as I was able to benefit from a concession
made by the UK Ministry of Agriculture Food and Fisheries.
Prior to '89 I believe you would have needed various paper
work, phytosanitary certificates etc even to bring plants in
to the UK from our nearest Continental neighbour. As part
of the EU arrangements the Dutch and Belgium horticultural
industry had complained to Europe that the UKs import
controls on plants were harming their industry as British
tourists were unable to take plants etc back with them.
Under EU pressure a concession was introduced in '89 so as
part of your passenger hand luggage you could bring back;
2Kg bulbs/tubers, 5 plants or parts of plants, a small
bouquet of cut flowers, 2kg of fruit and vegetables (but not
potatoes), 5 retail packets of seed. Thus I was able to
travel home on the Ferry clutching a box of 5 CPs from
Lecoufles without fear from HM Customs.
Fortunately with the Single European Market in 1992 many
remaining restrictions on moving plants between EU member
states were removed - so now all Europeans CPers (including
those in the UK who don't yet consider themselves a part
Europe) benefit - so posting many CPs is fine. Trade with
the rest of the world is still however subject to many
restrictions and controls.
I am uncertain regarding CITES within Europe as my plant
trading exploits have been mainly confined to my chief CP
interests of Pinguicula and Utricularia - many of which have
been sent all over the EU since 1992.I am not even certain
if there is a EU harmonised policy of how internal European
trade should be regulated by CITES - perhaps others could
comment. Andrew I guess you could contact the DTI or MAFF if
you wanted to confirm this with the UK authorities.
Regards
Loyd
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