º£½ÇÊÓÆµ

Oops.

Our website is temporarily unavailable in your location.

We are working hard to get it back online.

PRIVACY
Economic Development

Poots launches broadside attack on º£½ÇÊÓÆµ-Australia free trade deal

Northern Ireland agriculture minister warns that beef and lamb exports to GB will be under threat if a deal is ratified

Northern Ireland beef exports to GB are under threat, says Poots

Northern Ireland’s agriculture minister has launched a swingeing attack on Boris Johnson’s proposed trade deal with Australia which he said would eat into Northern Ireland’s share of the Great Britain meat trade and lower standards.

If ratified, Edwin Poots said a free trade agreement between the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ and Australia would present a high level of risk for Northern Ireland and all the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ’s farmers.

Mr Poots called for tariff protection to remain at present levels for all agricultural products where the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ has a significant interest.

His concerns centre on the lower costs of production in Australia in the beef and sheep sector, citing more available land for farming and better climate as “distinct advantages”.

Pointedly, he highlights lower standards as a significant risk from imported Australian meat.

Representatives from farming bodies across the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ said health and welfare standards for farm animals in Australia are the main difference, with the use of growth promoters – banned in the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ – still allowed and more lax rules around the transportation of live animals.

“There is a lot of potential for Australian beef and sheep exports to the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ to expand substantially over time if tariffs are eliminated,” he said. “Australian beef and sheep products have the potential to undercut º£½ÇÊÓÆµ producers and to reduce Northern Ireland’s market share in GB which is our most important market for these products.”

In effect, he said Westminster was ignoring its own impact assessment on a free trade agreement with the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ carried out last summer. It found that full tariff liberalisation would result in an increase of imports from Australia of 83% and a fall in º£½ÇÊÓÆµ agricultural output of more than 0.5% and, according to Mr Poots, notes that “it is expected that the increase in imports would, in part, comprise sheep meat (including lamb) and bovine meat”.