Salmon farmers implore politicians to avoid No Deal Brexit 'catastrophe’
Scotland’s salmon farmers have teamed up with other members of the country’s food and drink industry to try to head off the possibility of a No Deal Brexit.
Julie Hesketh-Laird, chief executive of the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO), is one of seven CEOs of food and drink organisations to sign an open letter urging politicians to come together to prevent the UK leaving the EU with a deal.
The other signatories include James Withers, of Scotland Food & Drink, and the chief executives of NFU Scotland, Quality Meat Scotland, Food and Drink Federation Scotland, Scottish Bakers and the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society.
Meaningful vote
The open letter comes ahead of the so-called “meaningful vote” on Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal in the House of Commons on Tuesday. May, who postponed the vote in December because she feared she didn’t enough support to win it, is again expected to lose the vote.
One scenario is that the UK would then leave the EU on March 29 without any kind of trade deal with Europe, a hugely important market for Scottish food and drink products.
The letter states that as representatives of Scotland’s £14 billion farming, food and drink industry, the signatories “implore politicians of all parties to unite immediately and reject the option of a ‘no deal’ Brexit. Whilst recognising there is no political consensus yet on a future trade relationship with Europe, the potentially catastrophic impact of not reaching any deal is clear”.
It continues: “We are collectively hugely ambitious for the growth of our industry. However, even using the UK Government’s own projections, we estimate the cost of No Deal to our industry would be at least £2 billion in lost sales annually. That is on top of the short-term chaos resulting from transport delays and labour shortages.
“Indeed, our businesses are already bearing the cost of No Deal, having to spend millions of pounds in time and investment to mitigate the potential disruption that will stem from the UK crashing out of the EU.
70% of Scottish food exports
“We represent the people who farm Scotland’s land and seas, and food and drink businesses that are the nation’s largest onshore manufacturing industry, employing 120,000 people. The EU accounts for 70% of Scottish food exports annually and it is also the source of crucial inputs and supplies for our sector.
“By Parliament rejecting a No Deal scenario, our industry effort can focus on shaping a future relationship with the EU that we can work with, not preparing for the fallout we can’t. There is no tolerance for No Deal as an option. It must be rejected now.”
Although the SSPO has previously raised concerns about Brexit for salmon exports and consistently pointed out its desire for frictionless trade, this is its strongest stance on the issue to date.
Figures released by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs in February last year revealed that Scottish salmon exports were worth £600 million in 2017, up 35% compared with 2016.
The United States was the largest market with sales worth £193m, but one of the EU’s big hitters, France, wasn’t far behind with sales worth £188m, ahead of China (£69m). Another EU country, the Republic of Ireland, was in fourth place with sales worth £34m.
