Coming out of the European Union without a deal could decimate the Welsh fishing and farming industries, Lesley Griffiths, the Welsh government’s minister for environment, energy, and rural affairs has warned.
Speaking on the eve of the so-called “meaningful vote” by members of parliament on whether to back U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May’s deal for leaving the E.U., Griffiths said that a “no deal” should be avoided at all costs to protect Welsh rural and coastal communities.
According to the minister, Welsh red meat and shellfish will be particularly vulnerable in the event of a no deal, with 90 percent of both exports going to E.U. markets.
Welsh shellfish are transported live and delivered within 24 hours from Welsh nets to E.U. markets, but Griffiths said that any delays in this supply chain will result in poorer quality seafood and an increase in mortality, which will lead to a reduction in prices.
Ongoing problems could even cause the industry to collapse, she said.
“We have always been clear a no-deal Brexit is not an option for Wales’ farming and fishing industries. Crashing out of the European Union could decimate our rural and coastal economies and must be avoided at all costs,” she said. “High tariffs, increased bureaucracy and delays at the border will only add to costs of exporting. But a no deal combined with the removal of U.K. import tariffs would be the worst-case scenario for Welsh and British agriculture, allowing cheap food imports at a time when our exports could be subject to tariffs of up to 50 percent for some sectors."
The case is the same for the Welsh shellfish industry, which is equally dependent on exporting to the E.U., Griffiths said.
"Any delays at ports preventing delivery of the live products within 24 hours could potentially wipe out the industry,” she said.
Photo courtesy of the Welsh government website
