Welsh Farmers are left with no say and no protection by UK-NZ trade deal

Plaid expresses ‘significant concern’ of impact on Welsh Farmers

Plaid Cymru has expressed significant concerns regarding the new trade deal stuck between the UK and New Zealand.

The trade deal looks set to open the doors to a significant import of cheaper food at a lower standard, which could potentially hit the farming sector in Wales harder than in any other part of the UK.

NFU Cymru has recently raised concerns about the deal, stating that the potential negative cumulative impact of this cannot be overstated.

The New Zealand trade deal follows another similar deal with Australia, and while it offers significant upsides for farmers on the other side of the world, it potentially creates significant marketplace changes for Welsh farming.

Plaid Cymru’s Agriculture Spokesperson, Mabon ap Gwynfor MS, has today (2 March, 2022) raised the issue as a matter of urgency with the Welsh Government in the Senedd.

Mabon ap Gwynfor MS said:

“While the spin will be about benefits, the truth is that this trade deal is a real cause for concern for Welsh farmers.

“The agreement will provide a 15 year transitional period, and it states that they will only be able to ‘utilise new access to the UK sheep meat market once they have filled 90% of their existing World Trade Organization (WTO) quota’.

“However, this leaves Welsh farmers at the whim of a market whereby they have no control nor input. Should something change in the sheep meat market then New Zealand meat would suddenly end up here or in the EU and undermine Welsh farmers.

“By failing to ensure that there are tariffs on imports here the UK Government have left Welsh farmers completely open to the whims of a market which they have no say and no protection.

“The UK Government needs to conduct a full impact assessment of these trade deals on Welsh Farmers, who are far more susceptible to damage from a poor trade deal with New Zealand and Australia than other farmers in the UK.”