FOOD FOR THOUGHT
THE UK IS IMPORTING MORE FOOD THAN EVER FROM EUROPEAN UNION
WE MAY be a nation of food lovers - but less than half of the food we eat originates from our own country.
Figures from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) show that just 49 per cent of food eaten in the UK actually comes from the UK.
It has only ever been this low once before, in 2006.
The figures also reveal that a massive 30 per cent of the UK’s food intake comes from EU countries - the highest proportion ever recorded. In 1988, just 18 per cent of our food came from the EU, while 66 per cent originated within the UK. You might imagine the reason is simply that the EU has got bigger over the years - but that isn’t the case. Back in 1988, only one per cent of our food came from European countries outside the EU.
That percentage has actually risen to two per cent now, despite EU expansion.
While the UK imports a substantial amount of food, that doesn’t necessarily mean we aren’t producing enough to feed ourselves.
In 2016 the UK imported more than £10bn worth of fruit and vegetables and more than £6bn worth of meat from other countries, but also exported nearly £7bn worth of vegetables.
Currently, the EU single market means the UK can import and export food to and from other EU countries for no cost.
The EU single market encompassess the 28 member states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland who have to pay a fee to remain part of it.
EU leaders have warned though that the UK cannot access the single market whilst also capping immigration on people from its member states.
Theresa May has maintained that the UK will leave the single market as part of the Brexit process. Instead, the UK will have to renegotiate its trade and policy relationships with every EU member state.
A DEFRA spokesperson said: “Leaving the EU gives us the opportunity to secure ambitious free trade deals while supporting our farmers and producers to grow and sell more great British food. “This means consumers will continue to enjoy a wide range of food when we leave including produce from the UK, Europe and further afield.” Some five per cent of the UK’s food comes from from Africa, while four per cent comes from each of North America, South America and Asia.