Brexit could provide fillip for agriculture
THE British Retail Consortium, the influential trade association representing UK retailers, recently released a research paper entitled 'A Fair Brexit for Consumers' which sets out a possible tariff roadmap for the next UK Government in the post-Brexit world. The report notes that 79% of the UK's food imports come from the EU.
The report states that without continuation of the current tariff-free trade environment, tariffs on UK food imports form the EU could be as high as 46% for items such as cheese or 21% for tomatoes. This could provide an economic fillip for Guernsey's agricultural industry and depending on how negotiations go, may create an environment where abandoned hothouses dotted across Guernsey once again provide a viable business model for agricultural economic activity. So whilst Brexit possesses a tremendous challenge, it may also provide an opportunity for Guernsey's agricultural industry to return to its glory days and for Guernsey to emerge as an exporter to the UK of world-class agricultural product grown in a clean green environment.
DR STRETCH KONTELJ OAM
