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The Irish Farmers Association has said that the agreement reached between the EU and the UK is a relief, but that it will pose significant difficulties for the Irish agri-food sector.
IFA President Tim Cullinan said that while the work of the two sides to avoid a “no-deal” should be recognized, he said the end result leaves little reason to celebrate.
Mr Cullinan praised the work of the EU chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, for his patience and perseverance in seeking a result that avoids a crisis situation.
“We have real concerns about how non-tariff barriers will affect our ability to keep trade flows moving.
“The scenes in Dover this week, with hundreds of stuck trucks and delayed loading, don’t bode well.
“Green lanes have been previously implemented for food exports. These should be prioritized after January 1,” he said.
Mr Cullinan said the Government and the EU should have the € 400 million support fund ready for Irish farmers in the new year to address any market disruption and said the EU’s Brexit adjustment fund of 5,000 million euros must also be available.
According to Mr Cullinan, the long-term implication for food exports could be the flooding of the UK market by cheap imports.
“The farmers here on the island of Ireland and in the UK are steadfast in their view of the standards.
“The danger is that the agreement is not strong enough to ensure that single market regulations are enforced,” he said.
The IFA said it will analyze the details of the deal to assess the impact on Ireland’s food exports.
“We have constantly said that Irish farmers are at the top of the queue and that the Irish government will have to support our agricultural sector,” he said.
‘Possible disaster averted’
Meanwhile, ICMSA President Pat McCormack has said the deal has averted a “potential disaster” for Ireland’s agri-food sector and the broader rural economy that relies on that sector.
McCormack said that with more than 50% of Irish beef and 30% of dairy exports going to UK markets that we have sold to for centuries, the imposition of tariffs and quotas would have been “enormously damaging.”
He said we can now look to 2021 with “greater optimism” knowing that a major threat has been removed.
McCormack said he was aware that the devil could be in the details and ICMSA will review the relevant articles in the coming days to establish the exact impact on our industry.
‘The Brexit deal is long overdue
The Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) said the Brexit trade deal reached this afternoon has been highly anticipated and marks a significant milestone.
UFU President Victor Chestnutt said this is good news for Northern Ireland’s agricultural industry and is the beginning of a new beginning.
However, he said there are many challenges ahead for agriculture following this historic Brexit breakthrough, from the establishment of new trade agreements to the design of a national agricultural policy.
“Since the outcome of the Brexit referendum, the UFU has been pushing for the best possible outcome for IN farmers. Our goal has always been focused on ensuring that free and frictionless trade can continue from north to south and east. west.
“The trade deal means that, like NI, no tariffs or quotas will apply to trade between the EU and Britain.
“We need to fully analyze and consider the potential for regulatory divergence between the UK and the EU, as the controls and procedures that NI faces are now unrecognizable changing.
“It will take a lot of lobbying with both the UK government and the EU to try to mitigate the worst impacts of these changes to ensure we have time to adjust and we can keep trade flowing,” he said.
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