Westminster plan to drive food exports

By ANDREW ARBUCKLE
Published on Friday 27 January 2012 00:00

THERE was positive news for the farming industry yesterday with promises by the UK government that they would work to remove bans on British meat from countries such as China.

The promise was included in a wide-ranging package of measures aimed at increasing food and drink exports from this country laid out by UK farming minister, Jim Paice.

He also promised that government would make it far easier for companies to access the range of advice and support already available as well as making food export paperwork simpler and easier to access.

The package included a promise to highlight financial safeguards available to protect smaller companies from not being paid, which is a key concern for exporters

Paice made his first visit to the massive ANUGA Food Fair in Cologne last October and claimed then that this was where British food companies should be highlighting their wares. Yesterday he said the government would support inexperienced agri-food companies to showcase products at international tradeshows and trade missions.

Also included was a promise of a new international business ambassador to provide high-level support and promote the best of British produce abroad.

The minister saw increased exports of British food and drink to high-growth markets like India and China as an engine for wider economic growth in the UK.

With rapid world population growth and booming consumer demand for western products in high-growth economies, he believed there were significant opportunities for British producers to increase profits.

This optimism came despite already increasing UK food and drink exports by 12 per cent last year £16.1billion. He pointed out that the UK still exports more food to the relatively small country of Belgium than it did to the rising economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and Mexico put together.

“British food is already known the world over for its quality,” he said, “and there are huge opportunities for our producers to tap into emerging markets.

“I’m convinced the sector can become an engine for growth for our economic recovery. It’s crucial we get the right support to business at home as well as championing British products abroad.”

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bumpkin

Friday, January 27, 2012 at 04:09 PM

so its 1947 moment , security of tenure must be improved if production is to increase.

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