Chinese Components In Agricultural Equipment Raise UK's Food Security Concerns: Report

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Sep 5 (IANS) China's presence in internet connected agricultural technology could expose Britain's farming sector to espionage and wider food security risks, a report has said.

According to a report by the UK-based The Telegraph, Chinese-made chips and communications components are widely used in modern agricultural equipment, including GPS-guided tractors, drones and automated irrigation systems.

It said -- citing the Coalition on Secure Technology (CST) -- vulnerabilities in connected farm technology could potentially allow hostile actors to gather information on crop yields, livestock numbers and production forecasts, providing insights into the resilience of the UK's food supply system.

The report flagged that increasing digitisation has made agriculture strategically important to national resilience despite the sector not traditionally being classified alongside critical infrastructure such as energy or telecommunications.

In addition, Britain's food production was dangerously exposed to a hidden security risk stemming from reliance on foreign-made communications technology.

The report warned that compromised equipment could be used not only for data collection but also to manipulate agricultural information, disable machinery remotely or provide a pathway into broader farm IT networks.

Most internet-enabled devices rely on cellular internet of things modules and the CST said a significant proportion of these components are manufactured in China.

The report cited previous concerns surrounding connected technology, including allegations that internet modules installed on Royal Navy drone boats attempted to connect to an internet protocol address in China.

It also referenced investigations into potential vulnerabilities associated with Chinese-manufactured electric buses.

Additionally, the findings highlighted risks extending beyond sectors such as energy and transport and added that the government lacked a clear understanding of how many connected farming systems rely on Chinese hardware.

The report called on ministers to recognise connected agricultural technology as an emerging national resilience issue and develop a strategy to reduce dependence on what it described as high-risk, foreign-controlled communications components.

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