Minister reveals alarming drop in British food exports to EU since Brexit

Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Daniel Zeichner said that while the UK’s current deal with the EU allows tariff-free access to the bloc, leaving the single market and customs union has “had an impact on the export of agri-food products”. open image in gallery Farmers have been hit by Brexit as food exports to the EU plummeted by a fifth since leaving the bloc The figures mark a stunning decline and are particularly pressing as sales to the European Union make up 57 per cent of all UK food exports, making it Britain’s biggest market by far, worth £14bn in 2023. Rebuilding trust and trade with our European neighbours must be a top priority, starting with securing a veterinary and phytosanitary agreement to ease trade barriers.” Tom Brufatto, policy director at campaign group Best for Britain, said: “Every day that Brexit trade barriers remain in place means less business for British exporters and more costs for importers, and in turn this has artificially inflated the price of the weekly shop.” Mr Brufatto said that a veterinary or animal health deal with the EU would cut some red tape, but called for a policy of regulatory alignment with the bloc to further remove barriers to trade with Britain’s biggest market. Reaching a veterinary agreement to cut red tape and reduce border checks would be a practical first step.” And former Liberal Democrat minister Sir Nick Harvey said: “The chancellor can tinker around the edges, but addressing the economic damage done by Brexit must become a priority.