Farmers would be ‘betrayed’ by no deal Brexit, says O’Hara

Farmers across Argyll and Bute will feel ‘betrayed’ by the UK Government’s latest plans for Brexit, MP Brendan O’Hara has warned.

Plans to remove import tariffs in the event of a No Deal  were announced this week – a move that the National Farmers Union in Scotland says puts homegrown produce at a serious disadvantage.

More than half of all Scottish goods exports were sent to Europe in the last quarter, but Mr O’Hara says that leaving without a deal would mean facing the EU’s Common External Tariff – with tariffs of around 84% on Scotch Beef, 53% on wheat, 48% on Scotch Lamb and 30% on pork.

The SNP MP said: “Local farmers will quite rightly feel betrayed by the conscious decision of this Tory government to sell out Scottish produce.

“Almost half of our exports go to Europe, so a No Deal Brexit would be seriously damaging for Scottish businesses, jobs and the economy.

“With tariffs of up to 84% on our world renowned Scotch Beef or almost 50% of Scotch Lamb, it’s no exaggeration to say that a No Deal will devastate key sectors of our local economy.”

NFU Scotland president Andrew McCornick said:  “Setting a low or zero tariff rate on the importation of key agricultural products, like cereals, eggs, pork, fruit and veg and some dairy produce will place many of our farmers at a significant disadvantage and undermine any efforts to negotiate new trade arrangements.

“Exports of Scottish produce like lamb and beef to the EU face the prospect of crippling tariffs as we are forced to operate to WTO rules.

“When we have the ambition to double the size of the farming, food and drink industry in Scotland to £30bn, the tariff schedule, as proposed by the Government, would place that ambition in jeopardy.”