Reducing food tariffs will not solve the cost of living crisis and it would be “misleading” to offer so much to consumers, said the president of the Farmers’ Union after reports that ministers were considering reducing import taxes.
Minet Butters, president of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), which represents the interests of 55,000 food producers in England and Wales, said the reduction in the tariff wall for imported food “is not even starting to address the problem” of growing food goods prices.
The cabinet is discussing whether to reduce tariffs on foods such as oranges and rice, which are difficult to produce in the UK, as a way to reduce prices.
Ministers, including Boris Johnson, have called for cuts in import tariffs, the Sun reported Monday, as a way to help families manage rising inflation.
Blowjob Butters on his farm near Salisbury, Wiltshire. Photo: Adrian Sherratt / The Observer
Food and non-alcoholic beverage prices rose 5.9% year-on-year to mid-March, according to official data from the National Statistics Office (ONS).
However, other cabinet members, including International Trade Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan, are believed to oppose such plans, believing that the UK’s decision to unilaterally reduce tariffs would put it at a disadvantage in negotiating post-Brexit deals. .
“We have the third most affordable food here in the world, and with the ongoing retail war, we probably got the most affordable,” Butters told reporters, adding that he did not believe lower food prices would be sustainable. .
The conflict in Ukraine, a key producer of wheat and sunflower oil, fuels fears of global food shortages.
Butters said: “We need to make sure that everyone continues to produce what they are good at, so that we do not cause a shortage of cash, as this will simply lead to further inflation.
“Only the reduction of the tariff wall is not even starting to deal with the problem. This is a very complex problem that needs a long-term strategy to deal with in the short, medium and long term.
“It’s misleading for consumers to just think about ‘tariff wall reduction’ and that fixes the problem.”
Butters spoke as the NFU outlined plans to increase UK agricultural exports by 30% by 2030 to bring the total to more than £ 30 billion by finding ways for farmers to sell their produce in more overseas markets. .
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NFU calls on government to work “in partnership” with food producers to target new export markets as ministers travel the world negotiating free trade agreements, stressing how the industry works with ministers in other countries such as Australia, where farmers are involved in trade missions.
Butters has previously criticized the government’s “competitive” approach to farmers and accused ministers of using food producers as a “pawn” in post-Brexit trade deals with major food-producing countries, Australia and New Zealand.
Farmers have expressed concern that free trade agreements could lead to an increase in cheap imports, flooding the UK market, making them unable to compete.
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