Post-Brexit Plunge: UK Farm Exports to EU Drop by Over a Third
The National Farmers' Union (NFU) has issued a stark warning that rebuilding demand for British agricultural products in European markets will be a protracted and challenging process. This caution comes as new analysis reveals a dramatic 37.4% decline in exports of British farm goods to the European Union over the five years since Brexit.
A Steep Decline Across Key Sectors
Detailed examination of HMRC data by the NFU paints a concerning picture of the post-Brexit trade landscape. The poultry sector has been particularly hard hit, suffering a 37.7% drop in exports. This is closely followed by significant reductions in beef exports, which have fallen by 23.6%, alongside declines of 14% for lamb and 15.6% for dairy products. The figures encompass everything from premium British beef to renowned cheddar cheese, highlighting widespread challenges.
Tom Bradshaw, President of the NFU, emphasised that while not all of this downturn can be attributed solely to Brexit, the data unequivocally demonstrates the scale of disruption caused by the UK's departure from the European single market and customs union. He stressed that merely reducing bureaucratic friction at borders would not automatically restore lost market share.
"Simply reducing friction doesn't mean we are going to get the EU market back again. 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," Bradshaw stated.
Political Efforts to Smooth the Path Forward
This sobering analysis emerges as UK and EU officials work to establish more structured diplomatic channels. There are plans to institute fortnightly high-level political phone meetings aimed at ensuring negotiations concerning agriculture and other aspects of the UK-EU relationship reset proceed smoothly. These talks are building towards a leaders' summit scheduled for May or June.
Following a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of a recent trade deal review, Cabinet Office Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds and European Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič agreed that formalising regular discussions could help resolve potential issues proactively. A government source indicated a shared desire to intensify political engagement to iron out difficulties and drive negotiations forward, with both sides keen to achieve positive outcomes.
Broader Context and Sector-Specific Concerns
The challenges in agricultural trade are set against a backdrop of other post-Brexit tensions. Notably, talks regarding the UK's full participation in the EU's €150 billion Horizon Europe-style Safe defence programme collapsed, with disagreements over financial contributions cited as a key stumbling block. Many observers viewed this as a missed opportunity for collaboration, especially given shared concerns about strengthening European defence capabilities.
For British farmers, the immediate focus is on securing a deal that provides sufficient time to adapt to new regulations that will govern the GB market. The NFU is advocating for certain exemptions to protect areas where the UK has forged ahead, such as the faster approval of gene-editing techniques to develop disease-resistant crops.
Bradshaw argued that the UK, operating independently, has been able to move more swiftly in areas like vaccine development for animal diseases and the approval of certain plant protection products. He contends that any new agreement should formally recognise these UK advances. If the EU is moving in a similar regulatory direction, he believes it should agree to specific carve-outs and transition arrangements to prevent crops legally grown under current GB rules from becoming unsellable overnight after a new deal is struck.
The overarching message from the farming sector is clear: the road to recovering the valuable EU export market lost since Brexit will be long and requires sustained political will and strategic focus from both sides of the Channel.
