Brexit trade deal ‘disastrous’ for Scottish seed potato farmers, says Sturgeon

Nicola Sturgeon has accused the Uk governing administration of promoting out farmers in Scotland immediately after it emerged that seed potatoes are not established to be integrated in a article-Brexit trade deal.

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Photograph: Gary Calton/The Observer

A letter from the Office for Environment, Foods and Rural Affairs (Defra) stated the EU would make it possible for practically all food stuff and plant exports from Fantastic Britain to continue on from 1 January.

Nevertheless, seed potatoes will be banned. The Defra letter claims: “Unfortunately the EU have verified they will not acknowledge our case for a long term improve to the prohibition on seed potatoes … on the grounds that there is no agreement for GB to be dynamically aligned with EU principles.”

© Photograph: Gary Calton/The Observer
One-fifth of Scottish seed potato exports go to the EU.

Scottish seed potato farmers are 1 of the most significant exporters for the creation of chips and crisps in the environment, with the sector accounting for 3-quarters of British isles production and truly worth about £112m a yr. Northern English farmers will also be notably affected.

Sturgeon, Scotland’s to start with minister, tweeted: “This is a disastrous Brexit final result for Scottish farmers … and like all other areas of Brexit, foisted on Scotland from our will.”

James Withers, the main executive of Scotland Foods and Consume, reported: “There’s no dressing this up. This is negative information for Scottish seed potato exporters. One-fifth of our exports go to the EU, more than 20,000 tonnes a calendar year.

“It may possibly be a lesser marketplace in a big trade offer, but inform that to the companies and farmers influenced. This will experience to them about as considerably from a definition of absolutely free trade as is doable. There are nonetheless marketplaces in other places and a roll-on deal for Egypt is excellent news.”

Profits to Northern Eire, which will operate under EU preparations underneath the phrases of final year’s withdrawal arrangement, are also probable to cease.

The Scottish National party’s shadow ecosystem, food stuff and rural affairs spokesperson, Deidre Brock, stated: “If these reviews are true, it would be a terrible negotiating failure on the aspect of the Tory federal government – and a devastating blow to an extremely useful component of Scotland’s booming farming market.

“It is clear that the Tories are promoting Scotland’s farming and fishing sector out and planning a whole betrayal of our rural communities – with a tricky Brexit that will induce serious and long lasting destruction to exports, positions, living specifications, businesses and the overall economy.”