Northern Ireland

Edwin Poots: Agriculture minister raises concerns about UK-Australia trade deal

Agriculture minister Edwin Poots
Agriculture minister Edwin Poots Agriculture minister Edwin Poots

AGRICULTURE minister Edwin Poots is urgently seeking more details about a post-Brexit trade deal between the UK and Australia amid fears it may hit farmers in Northern Ireland.

The DUP leader expressed concerns about the deal following claims that imports of Australian beef will flood the UK.

The broad terms of a free trade deal between the UK and Australia were agreed on Tuesday.

However, some farmers in the north and Britain fear the deal may affect food standards and have also suggested they could be undercut on price.

Mr Poots said yesterday he is seeking more detail.

"I have been clear in my discussions with UK ministers that tariff free access to the UK market for Australian farm produce is a very serious threat to our farmers even if that access is phased in over a number of years," he said.

"It is absolutely vital that Northern Ireland’s agriculture sector is protected and the integrity of our food standards are maintained.

"Consumers rightly expect high welfare standards and high quality food - that means that all imports must meet our standards. That is what they will get with locally produced and reared food."

He questioned why Stormont and the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales did not have more input into the deal.

"I am very disappointed that there has not been greater involvement of devolved authorities in the negotiations and this is something that needs to change in the future, given that this deal has the potential to have a significant impact on agriculture, which is a devolved matter," he said.