admin The UK government believes that the farming sector in the country is set to gain from the historic Brexit decision. To this effect, the UK government launched a campaign to encourage farmers to export their produce. According to government estimates, this will effectively boost the capacities of the sector and its producers.
The Programme for Change: Going Global
This initiative was launched in partnership with the National Farmers Union, Food and Drink Federation (FDF) and Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). The government purports that the country’s farming “stands to gain from the more liberal approach to trade the government is pursuing outside the EU” post-Brexit.
International Trade Secretary, Liz Truss said “We need to look beyond our shores. By the end of this decade, 66% of the world’s middle-class consumers are expected to be found in Asia. They are hungry for top-quality food and drink. I want more farmers and food producers to grasp these sorts of opportunities and go global. Embracing fast-growing markets will ensure we always have somewhere to sell our food and drink, be resilient to any future economic shocks, and help maximize the potential of our exports.” Currently, the export numbers for the sector are abysmal, with only one out of every 5 farmers exporting their produce.
Substantive Ways of Improving the Situation
The government has devised ways of assuaging the issue. The government plans to provide practical help for farmers and producers, including exporting masterclasses and a mentoring programme to give would-be exporters the tools and knowledge they need to start selling their produce internationally. This will help them get a better understanding of the international market and its corresponding norms. DIT said the UK’s food and drink industry already enjoys “huge successes” in the global market, exporting nearly £22bn ($31bn) in agri-food and drink overseas for 2020. But it said businesses can boost exports even more by taking advantage of the opportunities new trade deals will bring. Ian Wright, FDF CEO, said that “increasing government support will be warmly welcomed by food and drink manufacturers as they chart their entry into new international markets.”
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