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 海角视频 and Australia would present a high level of risk for Northern Ireland and all the 海角视频’s farmers.
Mr Poots called for tariff protection to remain at present levels for all agricultural products where the 海角视频 has a significant interest.
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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 海角视频 said health and welfare standards for farm animals in Australia are the main difference, with the use of growth promoters – banned in the 海角视频 – 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 海角视频 to expand substantially over time if tariffs are eliminated,” he said. “Australian beef and sheep products have the potential to undercut 海角视频 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 海角视频 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 海角视频 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”.
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The Minister continued: “The assessment also notes that Northern Ireland is predicted to experience a negative impact in output terms overall from tariff liberalisation with Australia due to our specialisation in agri-food.
The Minister said he had a “multitude of other concerns” around the proposal including expectations of similar deals with other countries and the fact that “future actions by the 海角视频 to address climate change, which will have very significant challenges for agriculture, could create a further disadvantage as there is no guarantee that Australia will be taking the same measures”.
Mr Poots’ comments come after Australia’s biggest beef exporter The Australian Agricultural Company told The Financial Times that beef exports to the 海角视频 could jump tenfold under a 海角视频-Australia trade deal.
Northern Ireland's farmers produced £438 million-worth of beef in 2020 and £84 million of sheepmeat, according to latest figures from the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.