‘Strong leadership and positive trading relationship on Brexit is vital’

IFA President Joe Healy has urged a strong commitment on both sides to achieve a positive trading relationship in exit negotiations between the EU and the UK.

Speaking at a Business Forum on Brexit this week, Joe Healy said strong leadership is necessary and the relationship between Ireland and the UK must be leveraged to minimise economic disruption arising from the Brexit vote and to achieve a positive and sustainable outcome to UK exit negotiations. “With 40% of our agri-food exports, worth €5bn, destined for the UK market, it simply cannot be overstated how important it is for the Irish agri-food sector that as free as possible market access to the UK is maintained,” he said.

Mr Healy also pointed out that the significant cross border trade of agricultural produce for final processing presents a major challenge if we are to maintain and grow our high value export markets. He said barriers to this trade, whether in the form of tariffs, additional certification or labelling issues, will all add to costs, and may make this continued trade simply uneconomic.

The IFA President warned that if the UK were to pursue a post-Brexit trade agenda which resulted in the unilateral reduction of import tariff barriers for agricultural imports from all exporting countries into the UK, it would be very negative for Irish agriculture. He said this situation could result in a very significant reduction in the price of UK food, and consequently, the price that Irish farmers receive and he pointed out that a reduction in spending power for Irish agriculture would have a negative knock on the demand for goods and services.