Exports of British farm products to the EU have dropped almost 40% in the five years since Brexit was implemented reports the Guardian.
The findings, based on an analysis of HMRC data by the NFU, come as the UK has begun to negotiate a new agreement with the European Union. However, NFU President Tom Bradshaw and others have warned that a deal cannot come at any cost. “Simply reducing friction doesn’t mean we are going to get the EU market back again,” he warned. “There aren’t empty spaces on the shelves with a label saying ‘waiting for British products’. Rebuilding demand will take time, effort and real focus.”
Just days ago, a report commissioned by CropLife UK from the Andersons Centre warned that that rapid alignment by Great Britain with post-Brexit European Union rules on crop protection products could have a substantial economic impact on British agriculture. In order to avoid annual losses of up to £810 million due to lost crop protection approvals, a number of commentators have called for a phased approach to any reset of UK and EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement.
CropLife UK chief executive Dave Bench said, “We support the UK government’s aim to seek an SPS Agreement with the EU that will reduce trade frictions. But it is important to understand the costs and consequences of different approaches before entering into an SPS deal. This report shows how damaging a badly done deal could be.”
Tom Bradshaw added, “An SPS deal is about removing friction and unlocking trade with our largest trading partner, but we have to get it right. We are grateful for the open dialogue we’ve had with government so far. Implementing appropriate transition periods is absolutely vital to enable farm businesses to adapt. For plant protection products, the best option would be for British farmers to retain access to GB-approved plant protection products until the EU rules are next reviewed, rather than being pushed towards a cliff-edge because of an arbitrary deadline.”
